Thesis (MA (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis consists of two essays, each focussing on a current topic in aesthetics in the tradition of
analytic philosophy.
First paper (On depiction)
Given broad consensus that resemblance theories do not do well at explaining depiction, two
alternative approaches have dominated the literature in recent decades: (1) Perceptual accounts try to
ground depiction in the phenomenology of our pictorial experiences; (2) Structural accounts
understand pictures as symbols in pictorial symbol systems. I follow Dominic Lopes in granting that the
two approaches, often interpreted as each other’s rivals, both have merit and are successful in
answering divergent questions about depiction.
After taking stock of the most influential theories from both approaches, I turn to John Kulvicki’s recent
work. He has made surprising progress as a proponent of the structural approach. His attempt to
define depiction in structural terms is groundbreaking and, for the most part, successful. The paper
measures some of his suggestions on picture structure and perception against the well-established
“twofoldness”-thesis of the perceptual theorist on depiction, Richard Wollheim. Wollheim’s theory is
defended and suggestions made to adapt Kulvicki’s theory accordingly.
Second paper (On expression)
Since Frank Sibley’s early papers in the mid-twentieth century, analytic aesthetics has broadened its
field of inquiry to extend past the traditional focus on judgements of beauty or aesthetic merit, to
peripheral terms, concepts, properties and judgements (e.g. of grace, elegance, garishness,
daintiness, dumpiness, etc.). Nick Zangwill gives a traditionalist report of what binds the new, broad
and heterogeneous category of the aesthetic together. He argues that purely evaluative aesthetic
judgements of beauty or ugliness (i.e. “verdicts”) are fundamental. All other aesthetic judgements
derive their evaluative aesthetic nature from them.
In this essay it is argued that Zangwill’s defence of beauty’s supremacy in the category of the
aesthetic, does not do justice to ostensible instances of non-evaluative judgements that ascribe
expressive properties to artworks. Nelson Goodman’s cognitivist theory of expression in art is used as
a foil for Zangwill’s claims. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bestaan uit twee essays, elk oor ’n aktuele onderwerp in estetika in die tradisie van die
analitiese filosofie.
Eerste essay (Oor uitbeelding, oftewel “piktoriale representasie”)
Gegewe ’n algemene konsensus dat ooreenkoms-teorieë nie slaag daarin om uitbeelding (“depiction”)
te verklaar nie, is daar twee alternatiewe benaderings wat die onlangse literatuur oor die onderwerp
oorheers: (1) die perseptuele benadering probeer uitbeelding begrond in die fenomenologie van ons
piktoriale ervaringe; (2) die strukturele benadering verstaan beelde as simbole in piktoriale simboolsisteme.
In navolging van Dominic Lopes neem ek aan dat dié twee benaderings, wat normaalweg as
mekaar se opponente beskou word, altwee meriete dra en onderskeidelik sukses behaal in die
beantwoording van heel uiteenlopende vrae oor die aard van uitbeelding.
Na ’n bestekopname van die mees invloedryke teorieë onder beide benaderings, word John Kulvicki
se onlangse werk oorweeg. Hy maak verrassende vooruitgang as ondersteuner van die strukturele
benadering. Sy poging om uitbeelding in strukturele terme te definiëer is revolusionêr en bied stof vir
nadenke. In hierdie essay word sommige van sy voorstelle oor beeld-struktuur en -waarneming
gemeet aan die gevestigde “twofoldness”-tesis van Richard Wollheim. Wollheim se perseptuele teorie
word verdedig en ’n voorstelle word gemaak om Kulvicki se teorie daarvolgens aan te pas.
Tweede essay (Oor uitdrukking)
Sedert Frank Sibley se vroeë essays in die middel van die twintigste eeu het die analitiese estetika sy
visier verbreed om verby die tradisionele fokus op oordele van skoonheid en estetiese waarde te kyk,
na perifere terme, begrippe, eienskappe en oordele (van bv. grasie, delikaatheid, balans, strakheid,
elegansie, ens., ens.). Nick Zangwill gee ’n tradisionalistiese verslag van wat die nuwe, breë en
heterogene kategorie van die estetiese saambind. Hy argumenteer dat suiwer evaluerende oordele
van skoonheid fundamenteel bly. Alle ander estetiese oordele se estetiese aard word daarvan afgelei.
In hierdie essay argumenteer ek dat Zangwill se verdediging van skoonheid (of estetiese waarde) as
fundamenteel tot die kategorie van die estetiese, nie laat reg geskied aan aantoonbare gevalle van
nie-evaluerende oordele, naamlik dié wat ekspressiewe eienskappe aan kunswerke toeskryf, nie.
Nelson Goodman se kognitiewe teorie van van uitdrukking in kuns word gebruik as teenhanger en
wegspringplek vir kritiek op Zangwill se aansprake.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5203 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Van der Berg, Servaas de V. |
| Contributors | Van der Merwe, W. L., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | v, 54 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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