Philosophie de l'art de Batteux et Baumgarten

Charles Batteux (1713-1780)

• Batteux argues that taste is the innate judge of all fine arts, suggesting that our ability to discern quality in art stems from an inherent capability present in every individual. This innate taste allows us to evaluate various artistic expressions, whether they be in painting, music, literature, or other forms of creativity, providing a fundamental framework for aesthetic judgment that transcends cultural boundaries.
• He claims that the rules of taste are derived from the principle of imitation, indicating that our appreciation of art is closely tied to its ability to reflect or represent reality. This principle posits that art gains its value and significance through the imitation of nature or human experience, thereby creating a connection between the audience and the artwork.
• He emphasizes the importance of feeling or sensory experience in art appreciation, arguing that emotions and sensory perceptions play a pivotal role in how we engage with art. The emotional response elicited by a piece of art often shapes our understanding and enjoyment of it, suggesting that art's impact is largely rooted in the viewer's subjective experience.
• He highlights the notion of "je-ne-sais-quoi," or a specific quality that is often indefinable yet crucial to the experience of art. This elusive quality
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Alexandreer Gottlieb Baumgarten (1714-1762)

• Baumgarten distinguishes between noetic (intellectual) and aesthetic (sensory) forms of knowledge. This categorization highlights the different ways humans can acquire and interpret information, suggesting that the mind and the senses contribute to understanding in unique but complementary ways.
• He considered the sensible (aistheta) as a form of knowledge based on senses, emphasizing that sensory experiences play a crucial role in human perception and comprehension of reality. This perspective recognizes the importance of emotions and aesthetic experiences in shaping our thoughts and feelings.
• This knowledge is distinct from rational thought, yet equally valid. Baumgarten argued that both sensory and intellectual knowledge provide insights into the human experience, promoting the idea that emotional and aesthetic responses are essential to understanding the world.
• He proposed a theory of sensibilité which is parallel to reason, suggesting that sensibility governs how individuals experience beauty and art while also functioning alongside rational thinking, allowing for a more holistic understanding of human cognition.

Clarté vs Obscurité

• Clarté distincte (intellectual): This refers to knowledge that is well-defined and articulated, where concepts are distinctly understood and categorized. It embodies precise understanding, allowing individuals to reason and communicate effectively about complex ideas.
• Clarté confuse (sensible): This type of clarity indicates a state where knowledge is not fully organized or clear-cut yet retains some level of significance. It suggests the presence of mixed or ambiguous information that, while not fully coherent, can still inform decisions or perceptions based on personal experiences or emotional insights.
• Obscurité (lack of knowledge): This situation denotes an absence of even the most basic understanding. The individual may encounter situations where they cannot grasp fundamental concepts or ideas, leading to confusion and a sense of being lost, which can hinder learning and awareness.

Characteristics of Confused Clarity

• Intuitive: understanding based on feelings and intuition.
• Vivid: strong and clear.
• Relation to sensible world: focuses on the sensible world without necessarily fully understanding.

Implications

• Truth and beauty are in the mind, not the object.
• Perception is subjective and limited by human abilities.
• Absolute truth is unobtainable; we only grasp apparent truth.
• Sensible experience is as valid as logic.
• Subjectivity is a part of perception.

Emmanuel Kant (1724-1804)

• Kant introduced the faculty of judgment.
• Different ways of enjoying something: agreeable, good, and beautiful.
• Agreeable = personal satisfaction, based on sensations.
• Good = satisfaction with a concept
• Beautiful = disinterested satisfaction, universal.

Differences Between Agreeable, Good, and Beautiful Art Works

• Agreeable = pleasing to the senses only.
• Good = based on a concept and has practical worth.
• Beautiful = pleasing for its form, without regard to its use or other concepts.

Implications and Consequences

• Art appreciation is subjective, but seeks universality.
• Aesthetic judgments are based on responses to art, not concepts of art.
• Universality is implicit within subjectivity.

John Dewey

• Dewey views aesthetics as crucial to all experience.
• Art experiences aren't separate; they're integral.
• Artistic creation and experience have interconnected aspects; both are active processes.

Artistic and Intellectual Experiences

• Intellectual experience: focuses on conclusions and results.
• Artistic experience: more dynamic and intuitive; it cannot be reduced to simple formulas.
• Aesthetic judgment is an active process of engagement with the object and the perceptions of the object

Jacques Rancière

• Rancière challenges the idea that art's quality is determined by technique or mechanics (e.g. photography).
• He advocates for the recognition of the role of the ordinary person in experiencing art.
• He emphasizes the importance of perception and interpretation in art appreciation.
• The aesthetic experience is tied to the ability to experience the sensible; the common human experience of a shared sense of the world.
• The appreciation of art, and what constitutes art, is in a constant state of change.

Nelson Goodman

• Goodman questions the separation between the sensible and the intelligible (art and science).
• He challenges the idea that art should be judged in the same way as science.

Don DeLillo (no dates are provided)

• An example of how art moves beyond the conventional and expands to include the broader social, cultural and historical situations.

Ce quiz explore les idées de Charles Batteux et Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten sur l'esthétique et la connaissance. Batteux soutient que le goût est le juge inné des beaux-arts et que les règles du goût découlent de l'imitation. Baumgarten, quant à lui, distingue entre la connaissance intellectuelle et esthétique, soulignant l'importance de l'expérience sensorielle dans l'appréciation de l'art.