Puzzles About Art: An Aesthetics Casebook

Rating:
Summary: Puzzles provide exciting introduction to aesthetics.
Review: "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 art. The puzzles are written in such a way that even the philosophically uninitiated can begin to take up and discuss the issues and to feel the tensions inherent in the puzzles.

The puzzles cover a wide-range of aesthetic issues including the definition of art, interpretation, and conflicts between art and other values. Each section begins with a discussion of the main issues highlighted in the following cases and some of the ways in which philosophers have tried to resolve the issues presented.

I came across this book while searching for a suitable resource to help introduce primary-aged students to philosophical aesthetics, but needed a more active approach that would capture the interest and curiousity of children. The puzzles are constructed in such a way that many can be stripped of their more advanced concepts and adapted for this age group, yet retain much of their force and intrigue.

If you are interested in issues in aesthetics or in teaching aesthetics, it is definitely worth looking at this book!

Rating:
Summary: Puzzles provide exciting introduction to aesthetics.
Review: "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 art. The puzzles are written in such a way that even the philosophically uninitiated can begin to take up and discuss the issues and to feel the tensions inherent in the puzzles.

The puzzles cover a wide-range of aesthetic issues including the definition of art, interpretation, and conflicts between art and other values. Each section begins with a discussion of the main issues highlighted in the following cases and some of the ways in which philosophers have tried to resolve the issues presented.

I came across this book while searching for a suitable resource to help introduce primary-aged students to philosophical aesthetics, but needed a more active approach that would capture the interest and curiousity of children. The puzzles are constructed in such a way that many can be stripped of their more advanced concepts and adapted for this age group, yet retain much of their force and intrigue.

If you are interested in issues in aesthetics or in teaching aesthetics, it is definitely worth looking at this book!

Rating:
Summary: Versatile
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.