ABSTRACT

Benjamin Tilghman has been a leading commentator on analytic philosophy for many years. This book brings together his most significant and influential work on aesthetics. Spanning a period of thirty years and covering topics in aesthetics from literature to painting, the collection traces the development of Tilghman's two principal themes; a rejection of philosophical theory as a way of resolving problems about our understanding and appreciation of art and the importance of the representation and presentation of the human and human concerns in art. Tilghman is profoundly influenced by the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and his work is informed throughout by his conception and practice of philosophy. Written with exceptional clarity and with many references to original work in both painting and literature, this collection will be an invaluable resource not only for professional philosophers but for those working in the arts generally, art historians, critics and literary theorists.

chapter 1|16 pages

The Literary Work of Art

chapter 3|9 pages

Danto and the Ontology of Literature

chapter 4|10 pages

Understanding People and Understanding Art

chapter 5|9 pages

Picture Space and Moral Space

chapter 6|12 pages

Reflections on Aesthetic Theory

chapter 7|10 pages

Literature, Philosophy and Nonsense

chapter 11|10 pages

A Conceptual Dimension of Art History

chapter 13|12 pages

Literature, Human Understanding and Morality

chapter 14|12 pages

Reflections on Aesthetic Judgment