Functional Beauty

Awards:   Winner of American Society for Aesthetics Outstanding Monograph Award 2009. Winner of Winner of the American Society for Aesthetics Prize 2009.
Author:   Glenn Parsons (Ryerson University, Canada) ,  Allen Carlson (University of Alberta)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
ISBN:  

9780199659319


Pages:   270
Publication Date:   06 September 2012
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
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Functional Beauty


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Awards

  • Winner of American Society for Aesthetics Outstanding Monograph Award 2009.
  • Winner of Winner of the American Society for Aesthetics Prize 2009.

Overview

Glenn Parsons and Allen Carlson offer an in-depth philosophical study of the relationship between function and aesthetic value, breaking with the philosophical tradition of seeing the two as separate. They begin by developing and defending, in a general way, the concept of Functional Beauty, exploring how the role of function in aesthetic appreciation has been treated by some notable thinkers in the history of aesthetics. They then consider the relationship to Functional Beauty of certain views in current aesthetic thought, especially what we call 'cognitively rich' approaches to the aesthetic appreciation of both art and nature. Turning to work on the nature of function in the philosophy of science, they argue that this line of enquiry can help solve certain philosophical problems that have been raised for the idea that knowledge of function plays an important role in aesthetic appreciation. Although philosophical discussions of aesthetic appreciation tend to focus largely and sometimes almost exclusively on artworks, the range of aesthetic appreciation is, of course, much larger. Not simply art, but also nature, architecture, and even more mundane, everyday things--cars, tools, clothing, furniture, and sports--are objects of frequent and enthusiastic aesthetic appreciation. Accordingly, in the second half of the book, Glen Parsons and Allen Carlson consider the place and importance of Functional Beauty in the aesthetic appreciation of a broad range of different kinds of things. The final chapters explore Functional Beauty in nature and the natural environment, in architecture and the built environment, in everyday artefacts, events, and activities, and finally in art and the artworld. In each case, Parsons and Carlson argue that Functional Beauty illuminates our aesthetic experiences and helps to address various theoretical issues raised by these different objects of appreciation.

Full Product Details

Author:   Glenn Parsons (Ryerson University, Canada) ,  Allen Carlson (University of Alberta)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 14.10cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 21.60cm
Weight:   0.320kg
ISBN:  

9780199659319


ISBN 10:   0199659311
Pages:   270
Publication Date:   06 September 2012
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

1: Functional Beauty in the Aesthetic Tradition 2: Functional Beauty in Contemporary Aesthetic Theory 3: Indeterminacy and the Concept of Function 4: Function and Form 5: Nature and Environment 6: Architecture and the Built Environment 7: Artefacts and Everyday Aesthetics 8: The Functions of Art 9: Conclusion

Reviews

a clear-headed, smart, vigorous defence of a new and very important theoretical position in philosophical aesthetics ... This book is a landmark study of an important subject and the one that anyone interested in the way in which aesthetic judgments are made - whether in art, in nature, or in everyday life - should read. * Environmental Values * Review from previous edition a highly original contribution to a neglected topic in aesthetics ... essential reading for anyone who wishes to think about this topic. * The Philosophical Quarterly *


Review from previous edition a highly original contribution to a neglected topic in aesthetics ... essential reading for anyone who wishes to think about this topic. The Philosophical Quarterly a clear-headed, smart, vigorous defence of a new and very important theoretical position in philosophical aesthetics ... This book is a landmark study of an important subject and the one that anyone interested in the way in which aesthetic judgments are made - whether in art, in nature, or in everyday life - should read. Environmental Values


Author Information

Glenn Parsons is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ryerson University, Toronto. Allen Carlson is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alberta.

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