Philosophy and the Arts, Lecture 2:

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Philosophy and the Arts,Lecture 2

• The Play Theory
• and Empathy

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The Play Theory and Empathy

• There are certain historically important theories
  of aesthetics that, while perhaps not at the
  center of current discussions, are still worth
  knowing. Two of these are the Play Theory and the
  Theory of Empathy. Lets consider the Empathy
  theory first.

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The Empathy Theory!!

• This theory is better illustrated than described.

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In the 19th century, George Macdonald wrote

• For I am always climbing hills,And ever passing
  on,Hoping on some high mountain peakTo find my
  Father's throneFor hitherto I've only foundHis
  footsteps in the stone.
• Vernon Lee simply noted that we say, The
  Mountain Rises, but the mountain doesnt go
  anywhere. Our gaze rises, sometimes in awe.

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Who are those people??

• Well, the building is the Parthenon. What the
  Empathy theory notes is that the pillars seem to
  support the top as if it were a light
  weight----whereas a spindly set of columns would
  make us uneasy.
• Also, can we have a good feeling of empathy with
  this?

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What is that??

• Its a Palestinian suicide bomber, in what is
  supposed to be a pool of blood.

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Now turn to the Play Theory

• The problem is there are several Play
  theories. I Consider only three.
• First, Herbert Spencer connected art with
  evolutionary theory, and thought this was one of
  those things that would fade away as the species
  advanced. Santayana had a great response But
  if all the useless ornamentsof our life are to
  be cut off in the process of adaptation,
  evolution would impoverish instead of enriching
  our nature.
• Second, some theorists, such as Karl Groos,
  thought of art as a form of play, raised (is that
  the word I want?) to meet the needs of adults.
  Those who consider art to be serious business
  often find this insulting.
• Third and finally, Friedrich Schiller, in his
  Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man, set
  forth a more complicated view in response to the
  Ethics of Kant. Im afraid this takes a bit of
  explaining----but Mary, Queen of Scots was an
  example of what he had in mind.

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I suppose I like Schiller mostgreat poet and
Philosopher!
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Recall his Mary Stuart!!
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Duty Inclination Play??

• It would take hours to explain properly, but Kant
  made a sharp distinction between duty
  inclination.
• But Schiller argued that ,surely, a really good
  man is not one who does his duty with aversion.
• Well, I said it could take hours Got an
  afternoon to spare??