PHIL 0052 - Aesthetics

Course Description

What counts as a work of “art?” What kind of value do art works possess? Are judgments of beauty subjective? Do we have special reasons, or even obligations, to create and preserve things with aesthetic value, for instance by providing public funding for the arts? We will consider these, and related, questions through a critical reading of both classic texts and contemporary readings in aesthetics. The course will be offered virtually. We will have once-weekly live virtual seminar discussions (Tuesdays, noon-1:30 pm, Eastern time). Additional readings, assignments, and moderated discussions will be conducted asynchronously. No previous background in philosophy is required.

Basic Enrollment Requirements:

Academic Year (Fall/Spring): Unofficial Transcript – High School Diploma or current high school transcript (for high school students only in applicable classes), Bachelor’s Degree, or progress towards a Bachelor’s Degree + 3.0 GPA.

Summer Session: None.

Refund Policy: The refund policy for Courses at Tufts offerings is dependent on the course length. Please refer to the section details to confirm any exceptions to the standard refund policy. The refund policies are viewable here: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies#Refunds

Remission Eligible: Yes; all university policies apply.