Puzzles about Art: An Aesthetics Casebook

If you want to teach aesthetics in art to any age, this is the book for you. The individual puzzles are interesting for students to discuss.

"Puzzles about Art: An Aesthetics Casebook" is just that, a selection of puzzling cases which raise interesting questions about art and art theory. The book is organized into 6 chapters: Art and Artworks; Beauty, Ugliness and Aesthetic Experience; Meaning and Interpretation; Creativity and Fidelity; Art and Other Values; and Critical Judgment. Each chapter begins with a 10-page introduction and then provides another 10-25... Read Full Review

This was a thought provoking text, easily digestible and not intimidating. I found this book to be selectively useful with a wide range of students. My middle school students were stimulated by a selection of "puzzles" to decide art's validity and purpose. I plan to send this book to a college professor as well, knowing that the thought provoking segments will also be enticing for him to use in his class in Nice, France.

"Puzzles About Art" is a welcome and refreshing departure from the standard approach to philosophical aesthetics which can often make the novice shake her head and wonder how philosophical debates could be relevant to resolving issues in art. Following trends in comtemporary ethics, Battin uses both fictional and factual puzzle cases to introduce and highlight many of the problems which arise when making judgements concerning... Read Full Review