artworld metaphysics dec 2007

[...]... the discipline Artworld Data and Aesthetic Theory 13 itself.’’²¹ Given such works—not only elements in the artworld, but also elements about the artworld contrast between artworld practice and theoretical reflection upon such practice is dubious Moreover, the alleged contrast conflicts with otherwise plausible aesthetic theories Consider Danto’s insistence that ‘‘there could not be an artworld without... of the artworld is no way to do the philosophy of art Yet such infractions are familiar: Tolstoy’s expressionist theory of art is a notorious example of a theory that seeks not to accommodate artworld realities but to revise them; his insistence upon sincere emotional expression and promotion of communal solidarity led him to delegitimize substantial portions of 18 Artworld Metaphysics the artworld. .. those practices qua collective.²⁷ Substituting artworld norms’ for ‘linguistic rules’ and artworld behavior’ for ‘linguistic behavior,’ Lovibond’s idea is precisely to the point: an aesthetic theory provides ‘‘an abstract representation of what is actually done’’ in the artworld Thus it is ‘‘read off from the various collective practices which constitute [artworld] behavior’’; but the aesthetic theory... activities without substantial theoretical baggage The point is not that participation in the artworld as artist, critic, or consumer—is somehow ‘‘theoryneutral.’’ It is not The point, rather, is that participation in the artworld is not to be conflated with theoretical reflection upon participation in the artworld But the contrast is frequently ignored Aaron Ridley, for example, rails against Goodman-inspired... theory, for the artworld is logically dependent upon theory.’’²² If art does indeed require an ‘‘atmosphere of artistic theory,’’ and ‘‘artistic theories make the artworld, and art, possible,’’²³ it is hardly clear that our touted ‘‘first-order vs higher-order’’ or ‘‘language vs metalanguage’’ or ‘‘practice vs theory’’ contrasts are applicable—or even intelligible—in connection with the artworld We need... express theoretical reflections upon the artworld The existence of semantic discourse does not entail the collapse of the contrast between linguistic activity and syntactic/semantic theory; the question—given the present desire to contrast aesthetic theory with artworld participation—is whether the existence of art-about-art entails the collapse of the distinction between artworld practice and aesthetic theories... consistent with the conception of such theories as—first and ²⁶ Charles E Gauss, The Aesthetic Theories of French Artists (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1949), 5–6 16 Artworld Metaphysics foremost—descriptive and explanatory of artworld practices Even a dictionary can occasionally be enlisted to justify (or proscribe) an individual speaker’s word usage: a description of a collective practice can,... on Reason,’’ delivered as the Kant Lectures at Stanford University on 13 and 14 Dec 1995 Artworld Data and Aesthetic Theory 11 Given these reflections on the contrast between a practice and a theory about that practice, either of two strategies suffices to defuse Eagleton’s qualms about reflective theorizing: (1) argue that artworld practices can, in fact, be exited and surveyed from an ‘‘external’’ vantage... for skepticism about aesthetic theory, construed as codification and explanation of artworld practice IV The contrast between engagement in the artworld and theoretical reflection upon such engagement is complicated by the fact that many artworks are themselves reflective commentaries upon the norms and mechanics of the artworld: thus the line between artistic practice and aesthetic theory is difficult... Art Criticism, 57 (1999), 205–20 Artworld Data and Aesthetic Theory 23 them.⁴² Robert Howell’s reflections on the ontology of literature are keyed to the subtle details of actual interpretive practice.⁴³ And so on Much work—perhaps most work—in aesthetic theory is properly grounded in artistic realities and upholds the contrast between artworld practice and theories of artworld practice; but enough work .