Philosophical Definitions of Art: Necessary, Sufficient, and Family Resemblance Approaches

What is a necessary condition in the context of definitions?

A condition that all instances of a concept must satisfy.

What is a sufficient condition in the context of definitions?

A condition that guarantees that something is an instance of a concept when satisfied.

What should a definition of art indicate?

What all and only art has in common and in virtue of which it is art.

How can art be defined according to the text?

By identifying the necessary conditions that are sufficient for something's being art.

What is the extension of a concept?

The class of all things that fall under that concept.

What is an example of a necessary condition?

The presence of oxygen is necessary for the occurrence of fire.

What is an example of a sufficient condition?

Being a bear is a sufficient condition for being a mammal.

What is essentialism in the context of definitions?

The view that members of kinds are characterized by an underlying principle or pattern.

What do anti-essentialists believe about art?

They deny that art has an essence that can be defined.

What is an example of a cultural kind mentioned in the text?

Parking tickets.

What distinguishes cultural kinds from natural kinds?

Cultural kinds often lack a distinctive micro-structural essence and are characterized by intentions and functions.

What is the debate about art's essence primarily concerned with?

Whether art is a local invention of culture or has a biological component.

What is a paradigm artwork?

An artwork that is widely recognized as a definitive example, such as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

What is a proposed definition of art according to the text?

Art must display originality, be created within an institutional context, and be expressive of emotion.

What is the challenge in defining art?

Determining what qualifies as art and what does not, especially in borderline cases.

What do philosophers who oppose defining art argue?

They suggest that attempts to define art are unhelpful or that art cannot be defined at all.

What is the significance of paradigm non-artworks in defining art?

A definition fails if it includes items that are not considered art, like shock absorbers.

What is the role of originality in the definition of art?

It is considered a crucial aspect of what constitutes art.

How do bio-historical essences differ from structural essences?

Bio-historical essences are less clear cut and tolerate more deviations than structural essences.

What is a characteristic of essentialism regarding natural kinds?

It often involves a clear structural definition, such as atomic numbers for elements.

What might characterize the essence of organic kinds?

A particular genetic pattern and a history of descent.

What is a potential outcome of defining art inadequately?

Excluding recognized artworks or including non-artworks.

What is the relationship between art and cultural expressions?

Art is shaped and constrained by cultural expressions, reflecting a complex bio-cultural essence.

What does the term 'local invention' imply about art?

It suggests that art is a concept that emerged within specific cultural contexts, particularly in Europe.

What is the significance of the debate on art's definition?

It reflects broader philosophical questions about the nature of concepts and classifications.

What is a general opposition to essentialism in art?

It follows from a rejection of metaphysical accounts of essences and skepticism about culturally constructed natures.

How did avant-garde art challenge traditional definitions of art?

It undermined previous definitions that maintained art is representation, expression, or significant form.

What critique do feminist writers have regarding definitions of art?

They argue that definitions often justify male hegemony and falsely represent ideologies as possessing universal objectivity.

What is one argument against the definability of art presented by Morris Weitz?

He argued that no necessary conditions exist for something to be considered art.

What is artifactuality in the context of defining art?

It refers to the property of being humanly made, which is often considered a necessary condition for art.

What example does Weitz use to argue against artifactuality?

Driftwood can become art without being physically modified.

What is a disjunctive necessary condition in defining art?

It suggests that there may be multiple ways something can become art, with no single property shared by all artworks.

What is the second argument Weitz presents against defining art?

Art's creative and transgressive nature prevents it from being defined, as artists often rebel against definitions.

How does W.E. Kennick illustrate the reliability of folk intuitions about art?

He argues that ordinary people can identify artworks in a fire without needing philosophical definitions.

What objection is raised against Kennick's argument regarding folk intuitions?

Artworks are not always easy to identify, and our intuitions can be fallible.

What does Kennick suggest about the usefulness of philosophical definitions of art?

He suggests that they may be uninformative and redundant compared to folk understanding.

What is the implication of saying no social practice could have a hidden nature?

It suggests that definitions of practices like art must coincide with common understanding, which may not be true.

How do sociology and anthropology challenge the idea that no hidden nature exists in social practices?

They study practices like religious sacrifices and witchcraft, which may have structures or functions not understood by participants.

What is the significance of the driftwood example in the context of art definition?

It illustrates the challenge of establishing necessary conditions for art, as not all art is artifactual.

What does the term 'anti-essentialism' refer to in the context of art?

It refers to the rejection of fixed definitions and the belief that art cannot be reduced to a single essence.

What role does the avant-garde play in the debate over art definitions?

It exemplifies the challenges to traditional definitions by creating works that defy established norms.

What is the relationship between art and political repression according to feminist critiques?

Feminist critiques argue that definitions of art can serve as tools for political repression by masking power dynamics.

Why might a definition of art be considered redundant?

Because art is a cultural creation, and a plausible definition may not reveal anything new or interesting.

What does the term 'artifactualized' mean in the context of art?

It refers to the process by which something is presented as art, potentially modifying its status.

What is the significance of the 'warehouse test' in discussing definitions of art?

It highlights how ordinary people identify art based on intuition rather than philosophical definitions.

How can definitions of art be seen as limiting according to critics?

Critics argue that definitions may restrict the understanding of art's evolving and diverse nature.

What does the term 'folk intuitions' refer to in the context of art?

It refers to the ordinary, non-theoretic understandings people have about what constitutes art.

What is the potential problem with relying solely on folk intuitions for defining art?

Folk intuitions can be fallible and may not capture the complexities of artistic practices.

What does it mean for a definition of art to be 'useful'?

A useful definition would provide insights or clarity about the nature of art rather than simply restating common beliefs.

What assumption about art is questioned in the text?

The assumption that art is purely a construction of human culture.

What alternative perspective on art is suggested?

Art partly involves the expression of our biological nature.

What do anti-essentialists need to explain regarding the concept of art?

The coherence of the concept of art without appealing to an underlying essence.

Who is the philosopher that noted games are related through family resemblances?

Ludwig Wittgenstein.

What is the main critique of the family resemblance theory of art?

It cannot explain how the first artworks became recognized as art.

What are readymade artworks?

Ordinary objects presented as art, such as Marcel Duchamp's snow shovel titled 'In Advance of the Broken Arm.'

What is the major objection to the resemblance theory in defining art?

Resemblance is too vague and does not provide a clear definition of art.

What does the cluster theory propose about art?

Art can be defined by possessing a combination of art-relevant properties without a single common property.

Who proposed a recent version of the cluster theory?

Berys Gaut.

List some art-relevant properties identified by Berys Gaut.

Intended to be art, falls within an established art category, possesses aesthetic properties, communicates complex meanings, requires skill, requires creative imagination, is pleasurable, invites audience involvement.

How can the cluster theory be reformulated?

As a disjunctive definition that allows for various combinations of art-relevant properties.

What is radical stipulativism in the context of art?

The view that artworks are unified only by being listed as art by experts, without compelling reasons for their classification.

How does radical stipulativism differ from particularism?

Radical stipulativism claims there are no compelling reasons prior to expert choice, while particularism argues that each case has specific reasons for being art.

What challenge does particularism face?

Explaining how reasons can be good and determinative yet unprincipled.

What appeal does radical stipulativism have?

It reflects the influence of subjective taste and fashion in the art world.

What limitation does radical stipulativism encounter?

It struggles to explain how the earliest artworks qualified as art without the presence of experts.

What is a significant aspect of a theory of art's value?

It must explain art's place and significance in human affairs.

What is a potential issue with defining art through resemblance?

It may lead to an overly broad definition that lacks specificity.

What does the text imply about our understanding of art?

We may be ignorant and mistaken about its nature, similar to other human behaviors.

What are the implications of radical stipulativism for art classification?

It suggests that classification is arbitrary and based on expert decisions rather than consistent principles.

What is the role of experts in the radical stipulativism view?

Experts decide what is considered art, but their reasons may not be conclusive.

How might the cluster theory be interpreted regarding definitions of art?

As indicating the complexity required for an adequate definition of art.

What is the significance of the phrase 'family resemblances' in art theory?

It suggests that artworks share overlapping characteristics without a single defining essence.

What does the text suggest about the nature of art classification?

It may be influenced by subjective taste and social contingencies rather than objective criteria.

What is a potential problem with the cluster theory?

It may inadvertently lead back to a form of essentialism by requiring a definition.

What does the term 'art-relevant properties' refer to?

Characteristics that help determine whether something can be classified as art.

What does the text suggest about the historical context of art?

The first artworks lacked predecessors to resemble, complicating their classification.

What does radical stipulativism claim about the distinction between art and non-art?

It claims there is no rationally decisive basis for drawing the border between art and non-art.

What is a common criticism of radical stipulativism?

It is viewed as problematic because it suggests that the demarcation of art from non-art is arbitrary.

What do anti-essentialists typically reject?

They reject the possibility or usefulness of a formal definition for art.

What is the focus of aesthetic functionalism?

It defines art in terms of its intended purpose or function, specifically delivering an aesthetic experience.

Who is a notable exponent of aesthetic functionalism?

Monroe C. Beardsley.

How does Beardsley define art?

As an arrangement of conditions intended to afford an aesthetic experience with marked aesthetic character.

What is a recent variant of aesthetic functionalism proposed by Nick Zangwill?

It holds that something is art if an artist had a creative insight into generating aesthetic properties through non-aesthetic properties.

What is a challenge faced by aesthetic functionalism?

It may struggle to avoid circularity in its definitions.

What is a potential issue with defining art solely based on aesthetic experience?

It may not account for artworks that lack aesthetic properties, such as conceptual pieces.

What is an example of a conceptual artwork mentioned in the text?

Marcel Duchamp's 'Fountain'.

What does aesthetic functionalism imply about the value of an artist's work?

It implies that the value of the artist's work is tied to the aesthetic experience it generates.

How does aesthetic functionalism relate to historical variability in art?

It accommodates the historical variability and cultural volatility that are distinctive features of art.

What is a limitation of aesthetic functionalism regarding bad art?

It struggles to account for artworks that are intended to be art but fail to deliver an aesthetic experience.

What is the significance of relational properties in defining art?

They may distinguish artworks by their connections to things beyond their boundaries.

What do critics argue about the political agendas of definers in art?

They argue that biases should be guarded against, but attempts at definition are not necessarily doomed to failure.

What does the text suggest about the complexity of art definitions?

A definition of art must have the plasticity and complexity needed to accommodate its distinctive features.

What are intrinsic properties in the context of art?

Properties inherent in the work regarded in isolation from all else, including its history and context.

What is the relationship between aesthetic functionalism and new art forms?

It is well suited to account for new art forms and singular artworks that do not fit established categories.

What is a potential outcome of failing to define aesthetic experience independently?

It may lead to circular definitions that do not provide informative insights.

What is the role of the perceiver in aesthetic functionalism?

The perceiver must be in an appropriate frame of mind to appreciate the aesthetic features of the artwork.

How does aesthetic functionalism address the issue of damaged artworks?

It can account for works that fail to deliver the intended experience due to damage affecting their aesthetic properties.

What is the implication of allowing non-aesthetic pieces to be considered art?

It concedes that aesthetic functionalism's definition is incomplete, identifying only one route to becoming art.

What does the text imply about the historical context of art?

Art's definition must accommodate its historical context and the variability of cultural interpretations.

What is the challenge of defining art in terms of aesthetic properties?

It may not encompass all forms of art, especially those that intentionally reject aesthetic qualities.