beardsley aesthetics 01a

Monroe C. Beardsley
Aesthetics: Problems in the Philosophy of Criticism
(1958)

[SK's comments]
[revision in progress]

[15]

▪ I ▪

AESTHETIC
OBJECTS

What is a work of art?

we can't be sure what the problems are until we know which statements are statements about these things.

we have to know how to tell when something is a work of art before we can tell who is a critic.

Got it.

The critic cannot just think this is what he's talking about, whether or not he turns out to be right. He needs to know.

And we can't 'just tell' that he thinks this, when he does. Even if he is right, we are wrong. We've just got to know.

beardsley aesthetics intro

Monroe C. Beardsley
Aesthetics: Problems in the Philosophy of Criticism
(1958)

[SK's comments]
[final revision: 17 Oct 2026]

[1]

INTRODUCTION

There would be

no problems of aesthetics,

in the sense in which I propose
to mark out this field of study,

if no one ever talked

about works of art.

So long as we enjoy a movie, a story, or a song, in silence—  [...]  —there is no call for philosophy.

But as soon as we utter a statement about the work, various sorts of question can arise.

Got it.

  T

alk

ing causes

problems of aesthetics

.

That's what I already think.

Do I still need to read the next 600 pages?