The reading for this week is Aristotle's "Poetics." I've included the complete text on the class web site, but we are not going to be going through all of it. (The complete text is there for those of you who might be interested.)
http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/361r12.html
Our main focus this week: what does Aristotle understand by "imitation" or "representation" and how does his view differ from Plato's?
We will see that Aristotle has a much more positive view of representation, one that is more consistent with our twentieth-century views about the role of art in human experience. We want to try to understand precisely how his views are different from Plato and how Aristotle's conception of "imitation" results in such positive attitudes toward art -- in sharp contrast with Plato.
You might think of Aristotle as more "down-to-earth," focused on individual experiences in life and generalizing over those to form universals. (Note the contrast here with Plato who began with universals -- the 'forms' -- from which our particular experiences and knowledge are derived.) Plato might be seen as using more "deductive" reasoning: starting with the general/the universal and proceeding to the particular. Aristotle might be seen as using more "inductive" reasoning: starting with the individual/the particular and generalizing to get to the universal.
HOW TO GET STARTED:As always, let me suggest that you first read through the Discussion Questions, to see some of the main issues we will take up this week.
If you go to question #1, I have a link set up to a nice secondary source, "The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Skim through that to get an overview of Aristotle's views. Look especially for the last two paragraphs in the article for Aristotle's views on "art."
Of most interest for our consideration of "representation" are questions 5 (Aristotle's Part IV), 7 (Part VI), 9 (Part IX), and 10 (Part XXV). If you make those parts of the Poetics your main priority for study and discussion this week, you will get a good sense of Aristotle's views on art.
DISCUSSION GROUP:I've been very pleased with the dynamic on the discussion group on Plato. Several students with extensive backgrounds in philosophy have offered summaries and questions about Plato, in terms that most can understand, even without a background in philosophy. Several students with extensive backgrounds in the arts have contributed important examples and perspectives to see how Plato's ideas "play out" in our understanding of art.
Whenever I teach this course (whether in traditional or experimental formats), I have this mix of students. It makes for very lively and informative dialogue. Everyone in the class has a lot to learn from the others and no one should feel intimidated by any of the comments.
Continue to Lecture Notes for Week Seven (posted 3/9/98)
Return to Lecture Notes Table of Contents
Return to Class Home Page: PHIL 361/599 (Spring 1998)
Questions and comments are welcome: jvancamp@csulb.edu
This page written and maintained by Julie Van Camp
Copyright Julie C. Van Camp 1998
Last updated: March 2, 1998