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Here’s a taste of what we’re serving today:
Is Art Only Art Because the ‘Art World’ Says So? 🤔
PLUS: Origins of the Iraq War, Gut Feelings (Literally), and Japan’s Empty Homes 🏚️
PHILOSOPHY
Is Art Only Art Because the ‘Art World’ Says So? 🤔
The title kinda resembles a tongue-twister, right? Let’s break it down.
First, art. We all know what art is. Or do we? The Mona Lisa? Art. Starry Night? Art. The Statue of David? Art. Duchamp’s Fountain? That one is a bit more tricky. In the first instance, we might ask ourselves: how can this be art if it’s literally just a urinal? True, it is literally a urinal. But is it just a urinal? You can see it for yourself in Tate Modern, after all. So, surely it is art, right?
Duchamp’s Fountain (Source: Tate)
This series of questions exposes a key question in Aesthetics (i.e., the Philosophy of Art): what is art? How can we define ‘art’? Although there have been many different theories put forward to answer these questions, one of the most famous comes from George Dickie, who put forward the so-called ‘Institutional Theory of Art’.
💡 Things to consider
The Institutional Theory of Art: According to this theory, introduced by Arthur Danto and then developed by Dickie, something is only considered ‘art’ if it is recognised by the ‘art world’ as a work of art. What is this ‘art world’, you might ask? In essence, it’s just the authorities in art, such as art critics, exhibition organisers, gallery owners, museum executives, etc. Can you think of any issues with the institutional theory?
Circularity Objection: One of the most popular counter-arguments to the institutional theory is that it might be circular. If an argument is circular, it begins with the exact conclusion that it is trying to prove. An example of a circular argument is: ‘Mr Jones is the best teacher because he is the best at what he does’. Here, the argument assumes Mr Jones is the best teacher, and then uses that assumption to prove the conclusion it wants to reach (i.e., that Mr Jones is the best teacher). It could be argued that the institutional theory is circular because the art world defines art, but art is also what the art world recognises as art… my head is spinning! Essentially, if the art world are the ‘definers of art’, then there is a sense of circularity when asking ‘what is art?’. Do you think this is a fatal counter-argument? Are all circular arguments bad?
#circular (Source: Giphy)
The Child in the Forest: Consider this: there is a child in the forest who has lived there alone for his whole life. He has never heard of museums, galleries, or art critics, let alone an ‘art world’. If he then etches an impressive landscape on a tree using handmade tools, could this ever be considered art? Do you think the institutional theory requires an art world to actually recognise a work as art, or hypothetically recognise it as such? i.e., does the child’s landscape have to actually be seen by an art critic, or would it only require an art critic to (hypothetically) consider it as art if they ever went into the forest and saw it?
🔎 Find out more
🍒 The cherry on top
🇮🇶 Origins of the Iraq War: How did Saddam Hussein become one of history’s most notorious dictators? How did the Iran-Iraq war begin? And what really happened to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction? Find out in the first episode of this longer podcast series. Great if you’re interested in History or Politics!
🧠 Gut Feelings (Literally): Ever wonder if your gut bacteria actually affect your anxiety or mood? This podcast takes a curious dive into the science — from bold mice with swapped microbiomes to the "second brain" in your gut — while keeping it real about what we still don’t know. Check out the full episode here. Great if you’re interested in Neuroscience or Biology.
🏚️ Japan’s Empty Homes: Japan has over 9 million abandoned houses, and by 2038 nearly one in three homes could be vacant. This article breaks down why old homes lose value so fast, how tax policies accidentally encourage overbuilding, and why some foreigners are snapping up properties for under $10k. A must-read if you’re interested in Geography or Economics!
👀 Keep your eyes peeled for…
Wednesday 27th May
Thursday 28th May
Monday 1st June
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That’s it for this week! We’d like to thank this week’s writer: Gabriel Pang.
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