PHIL 296 - Spring-Term Seminar on Philosophical Topics

FDR: HU
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring

Prerequisite: At least one philosophy or art course recommended. A consideration of selected issues in philosophy. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different.

Topic for Spring 2012:

PHIL 296: Spring Term Seminar on Philosophical Topics: Art and the Authenticity: The Beautiful, the True, the Good, and You (4). Prerequsite: At least one philosophy or art course recommended. This course deals with the question of how beauty relates to morality and to knowledge about nature, society and the self. This course provides a basic understanding of several different classical, modern and contemporary aesthetic theories and it is also a journey of self-discovery as we explore the concept of authenticity and what it means to be true to yourself. A central theme is whether the recognition of beauty can reveal something about reality, and whether the creation of beauty allows one to discover something about reality. The course includes visits to performance events and a trip to a prominent art gallery to allow students to experience beautiful art. The course also has a workshop component to provide practical experience of making your own art, to further develop your ideas about art and the self. The ultimate goal of the course is, through the understanding and experience of beauty, for students to understand more about themselves, society, and nature. (HU) Lowney.