24 June 2006

What Good Are the Arts?

The chapter titles of John Carey's book on aesthetics make his sceptical position quite clear. 'What is a work of art?', 'Is 'high' art superior?', 'Do the arts make us better?', 'Can art be a religion?'. He is taking a radical perspective on claims which are traditionally made for the appreciation of art. And his answers to those questions (in order) are - Art can be anything people claim it is - No, 'high' art is not necessarily superior - No, there is no evidence it makes us better - and Yes, unfortunately, art is sometimes seen as a form of religion. He asks challenging questions and raises points some readers might find quite difficult to take on board. ... Read more >>


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2 comments:

Imprez said...

I want this book.....where I can buy it?

MANTEX said...

Simply click on the "Buy from Amazon" button at the bottom of the review.