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This article discusses Jerrold Levinson's theory of concatenationism, which emphasizes the moment-by-moment character of musical listeners' basic musical understanding, and the related project of anti-architectonicism, which denies the influence of large-scale music-structural information on basic musical understanding. A reconstruction of Levinson's position reveals him to embrace a qualified architectonicism himself and shows that his remaining anti-architectonicism is afflicted with several problems. While the conceptual distinction Levinson draws between a piece of music and its structure as well as his three 'intuitions for concatenationism' all point toward important features of musical understanding, it is argued that none of them supports the anti-architectonicist thesis in the intended manner. Furthermore, the way Levinson relates both musical understanding and musical value to a notion of aural cogency renders it difficult to see how one could understand music that one does not value or value music that one cannot understand. It is argued that the anti-architectonicist focus of Levinson's project, together with the ensuing argumentative problems, follows from methodological commitments that might be overcome within disciplinary frameworks beyond philosophy. Suggestions are given for developing a positive concatenationism both in musicology and in philosophical aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The merited response argument is an argument in favor of artistic ethicism. According to this view, the interaction between art and morality is such that a moral defect in a work of art negatively influences the work's artistic value (and a moral merit, when relevant, is always an artistic merit). I contend that the argument relies on a criterion of aesthetic and artistic relevance that, when properly understood, fails to constitute a premise that either the artistic contextualist or the autonomist would accept. I then offer a version of the merited response argument that supports artistic contextualism and argue that, given certain controversial assumptions, immoral art in the Western tradition is more common than typically acknowledged in the recent literature on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author explores whether or not professional dancers should become critics for the field in which they are trained. Particular focus is given to insights raised from the 1891 essay "The Critic as Artist," by the writer and poet Oscar Wilde. Topics examined include the significance of dance training, how dance relates to neuroscience and the basis of aesthetic evaluation. The author suggests that dance training offers critics different neural and perceptual responses to observing dance.

The article explores various issues relating to the contemporary philosophy of dance. Particular focus is given to issues raised by the scholar Graham McFee, who suggests that contemporary neuroscience is irrelevant to philosophical reflections upon an art form such as dance. Additional topics discussed include what distinguishes dance art from nonartistic dance, what kinds of aesthetic properties influence how dance is perceived and how neuroscience relates to how viewers interpret artistic pleasures.

In this article, the author reflects on how the work of art critics and philosophers impacts aesthetic taste. Particular focus is given to the influence of the 1757 essay "Of the Standard of Taste," which was written by the philosopher David Hume. Three major subjects are examined including how criticism stands up to the test of time, how taste preference influences criticism and how many academics seek out critics whose tastes they share. The author utilizes the work of various philosophers to build his case including Noël Carroll, Alan Goldman and Ted Cohen.

In this article, the author explores the concept of artistic value. Particular focus is given to the notion that distinctions should be made between artistic and aesthetic value. The theories of several art historians and philosophers are examined including those of Monroe Beardsley, Dominic McIver Lopes and Noël Carroll. The author also discusses the topic within a historical context, citing the first examples of anti-aesthetic artworks within the Dada art movement. Details relating to why some artworks are higher in financial value than others are also provided.

The author explores the idea of artistic value, focusing on the idea that artworks are not valuable for their own sake. The author examines experiential and empiricist theories of artistic value, suggesting that artworks are valuable for the sake of the experiences that they provide. Specific topics addressed include the difference in intrinsic and extrinsic value, the different in final and nonfinal value, treatment of original artworks and accurate copies, and how artistic value is different for different forms of art such as film and painting. The author draws on examples including the original print of the film "The Passion of Joan of Arc" and copies, as well as the painting "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" by Pablo Picasso compared to a copy.

The author discusses the aesthetics of poetry, focusing on the relationship between lower-level perceptual qualities of poetry, such as meter, and the aesthetic attributions of poetry. The author draws on philosopher Frank Sibley's views on nonaesthetic properties and aesthetic qualities as expressed in his work "Aesthetic Concepts." The author describes philosopher H.L.A. Hart's idea of defeasible concepts and focuses on the aesthetics of the ballad stanza used in nursery rhymes and the limerick stanza.

The author discusses various approaches to the idea of the aesthetic experience of art. The author explores the idea of the aesthetic experience as appreciation and suggests that philosopher Gary Iseminger uses a cognitive valuing approach to the aesthetic experience, while philosopher Jesse Prinz uses a noncognitive valuing approach. The author explores the ideas of philosophers Mary Devereaux and Berys Gaut, suggesting that their approach to the aesthetic experience encompasses moral and cognitive experiences and opposes autonomism. The author also explores his own approach to the aesthetic experience, focusing on the embodiment and presentation of art.

The article explores the idea of photography as a representational art form. The author responds to the essay "Photography and Representation," by Roger Scruton, and suggests that photographs do serve as representations. The author also discusses the representational aspects photographs in relation to casting for films and theatrical productions. Other topics addressed include the aesthetics of photography, representation in photography in comparison to other art forms, and photographs as independent from the objects they represent.

The article discusses the medium of photography and philosopher Patrick Maynard's idea of the photographic image as a depiction that can aid in detection. The author discusses the transmission of information through photographs and the extraction of knowledge from photographs. The author also explores examples of scientific imaging techniques that do not serve as depictions, including electron micrographs, autoradiographs and X-rays. Also discussed is the importance of depiction in aesthetics literature.

The article discusses how the aesthetics of the photography of artist Andreas Gursky are affected by his use of technological innovations. The author discusses how Gursky's work is treated by philosophers and art theorists, including as Alva Noë, Ernst Gombrich, and Heinrich Wölfflin, and suggests that digital manipulation allows Gurksy to depict abstract ideas in his photographs. Specific topics include the visual experience of Gurksy's photographs, the sublime in Gursky's work, and the perception of Gursky's work on the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Particular focus is given to Gursky's 1979 work "Gran Canaria."

The article discusses the depiction of photographs in comics, suggesting that they are often depicted in a more realistic manner than the other parts of the comic. The author focuses on the idea that photographs are more objective in their representation than other visual art forms and examines possible explanations for the phenomenon of the depiction of photographs in comics. Specific topics include theories of the objective purport of photographs, the objective purport of fictional photographs in comics, and the panel transparency principle in the depiction of characters in comics. Specific comics discussed include "When Is a Door?" by Neil Gaiman and "Fun Home" by Allison Bechdel.

The article presents an examination into the aesthetic question of whether or not motion picture screenplays can be considered independent works of art. The author engages with the position of philosopher Noël Carroll, who claims they cannot. An overview of Carroll's arguments is given, focusing on the dependency of screenplays to their final film productions in contrast to scripts seen in dramatic theater. The author questions these assertions through several examples.

The article examines the philosophical and aesthetic problems related to the issue of defining comics, focusing on the question on an analysis of the assumption that comics must contain pictures to be defined as such. The author's discussion is grounded in the books "The Comics," by Coulton Waugh and "Understanding Comics," by Scott McCloud which argue for the necessity of pictures in comics, a view named the pictorial thesis by the author. Topics include an analysis of Gary Larson's comics with a view of the proposition that pictures contain nothing, a thought experiment based on "Batman #663," written by Grant Morrison and drawn by John van Fleet, and the mereology of comics.

The author examines the photography of artist Cindy Sherman and the indeterminacy of what is being represented with a critical analysis inspired by philosopher Gilles Deleuze's distinction between a copy and a simulacrum whereby the former is tied to an existential referent and the latter is not. The author explores Sherman's photograph "Untitled 153" and argues that it is both a copy and a simulacrum by drawing on the remarks of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's "Philosophical Investigations." Other topics include the philosophy of C. S. Pierce, Plato, and Friedrich Nietzsche.

The article analyzes the aesthetic value of mystery or detective fiction in connection to its appeal in the 20th century as the most widely-read genre. Defending the claim that detective fiction is deserving of literary analysis against the objections regarding its flat characters and formulaic plots, the author explores the cognitive and emotional engagement mystery novels offer. Also discussed is a conception of aesthetic value that is measured by its capacity to engage with all of the mental capacities, its ability to expand the reader's experience, and the comparison it offers to the real world.

The author examines the field of aesthetics as a discipline, focusing on its lack of unification and its connectedness and dependency on other fields of inquiry in the form of an intellectual network. The topic of the atomization and internalism of academic aesthetics and the field of art history is discussed as well as its origins in the German philosopher Kant and the book "Art History Versus Aesthetics," edited by James Elkins. The author examines the collaborative networks that exist between philosophical aestheticians, art historians, cultural anthropologists, and social network theorists, and uses the term "small worlds" and the idea a self-organizing system to explore the shifting boundaries of aesthetics.

The article discusses the aesthetics of style and its somatic origins. The etymological roots of the word style refer to Roman inscriptions, but the word style has moved away from the physical act of creating an inscription to a loftier ideal of aesthetics. The author Ralph Waldo Emerson and his ideas on style are compared to those of the author Henry David Thoreau. The philosophical aspects of style are considered as are the ideas of the philosophers William James and G. E. Moore. Other topics include Confucianism, styles of art, popular uses of the word style to describe someone's behavior, and the senses.

The article discusses the role of space in the aesthetics of modern architecture and photography. The author examines the history of modern architecture and photography and suggests that several difficulties exist with respect to aesthetic experiences and nature of architectural space. He emphasizes the difficulty of negative perception of modernist views and space and examines this difficulty in light of his perspectives on space, architectural photography, and the modernist morale. Other topics include the aesthetic experience of space, the role of perception and representation in architecture criticism, and the portrayal of modernism in architecture.

The article discusses the aesthetic aspects of architecture in Hanoi, Vietnam in light of the work of two Vietnamese painters: Bui Xuan Phai and Nguyen Manh Hung. The authors examine the painters' personal experience in Hanoi and address the importance of the study of architectural paintings in understanding the socioeconomic and political conditions of Hanoi. They emphasize the paintings' portrayal of social and political changes in Vietnam due to foreign interventions in the 20th century, including the U.S.-led Vietnam War. Topics include architectural change, the impact of war on art, and surrealism.

The article discusses the thoughts of philosopher Immanuel Kant on architecture. It examines differences between the philosophy of architecture and architectural theory, the book "Critique or the Power of Judgment" by Kant, and Kant's philosophies of aesthetics. Topics include structure, ornament, and the concept of form. The perspectives of other philosophers on architecture are addressed, including those of G. W. F. Hegel, F. W. J. Schelling, and Arthur Schopenhauer. Other topics discussed include formalism, the judgment of beauty, and the Vitruvian paradigm of ancient Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio.

The article discusses the perspectives of philosopher Nelson Goodman on the action of quotation and questions the ability of buildings and architecture forms in quoting. The author examines Goodman's account of verbal, pictorial, and musical quotation and compares Goodman's notion of the act of notation with aspects of architectural quotation. Architectural quotation is described as a building's reference to another work of architecture or the containment of a building within a building. The author then presents an analysis of the uses and meanings of quotations, drawing on the perspectives of Goodman.

An essay is presented on architectural aesthetics and function. The author focuses on the architectural design of several museums, including the Bilbao Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain, designed by architect Frank Gehry and the Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado, designed by Daniel Libeskind. He then presents a critique of separatist and functionalist approaches to architectural aesthetics and presents an alternative method of criticism based on the thoughts of philosopher Immanuel Kant.

The article discusses works by philosopher Martin Heidegger in light of his perspectives on aesthetics, architecture, and architectural aesthetics. The author presents an interpretation of Heidegger's works and argues that in the article "The Origin of the Work of Art," Heidegger presents a complicated view of the ontology of art and compares it to the philosophies presented in the book "Being in Time," also by Heidegger. He discusses the categorization of architecture based on physical properties as well as the object's perception and use. Buildings designed by architects Antonio Gaudi, Daniel Libeskind, and Frank Gehry are discussed.

The article reviews the article "Ideas, Expression, and Plots," in volume 68 of the journal, by Roger A. Shiner.

An essay is presented in which the author considers the aesthetic qualities of silence in music and considers works of music that consist entirely of silence. The author argues that the silence between musical notes are integral in movements and melodies. The author considers the opening motif of the Fifth Symphony by composer Ludwig van Beethoven, the composition 4'33" composed by John Cage, which is an entirely silent musical composition. The research of critic Jerrold Levinson on silence in compositions is discussed as is music audiences.

The article discusses the article "Critical Communication," by Arnold Isenberg and his ideas about the "question of validity," or whether an argument can be made about art based on opinions about the work. The difference between generalists and paricularists are described as is coherence theory and Jonathan Dancy's argument about morality and reason. Scholar Stuart Hampshire's ideas on art appreciation and logic are compared against Isenberg's ideas. The painting "Saturn Devouring His Sons," by Francisco Goya is discussed for its value and interpretations of it that have been given.

An index is presented of the article titles, authors, and book reviews for volume 68 of the journal.

The author discusses aesthetics, in terms of both the personal taste of the viewer and the value of art. The author reflects on an article that he wrote that was based on the essay "Of the Standard of Taste" by the philosopher David Hume. The author considers art critics and why they are qualified to decide for others what is or is not good art and it considers the objectivity of critics' judgments. The author discusses what makes a piece of art artistically good and these come to be considered masterpieces by the art community.

The author considers how well individuals are acquainted with their own sense of taste and like or dislike when it comes to appreciating works of art. The possible reasons that people could be aware of their own aesthetic preferences are considered as is the ways in which we pursue aesthetic pleasure. A definition for the term "taste" is provided. Other topics include the ability to make aesthetic judgments, affective ignorance, emotions, inaccurate second-order awareness, and false attribution of aesthetic responses.

A response is presented to the article "Kant's Justified Dismissal of Artistic Sublimity" by Uygar Abaci that appeared in a 2008 issue of the journal.

The author presents a response to a criticism of his article "Kant's Justified Dismissal of Artistic Sublimity" that was written by Robert R. Clewis and that appears in this issue of the journal.

The article discusses how philosopher Immanuel Kant's conceptions of common sense relate to his conception of the Fourth Moment regarding aesthetic judgment and deductions of aesthetic taste. The author comments on the reflective nature of aesthetic judgments and their relationship to understanding and imagination. Kant's views on the role of necessity and pleasure in those judgments are noted. Kant suggested that although they are subjective, judgments of taste should have universal validity with common sense forming the subjective principle of the Fourth Moment. Kant's views regarding the ability to communicate cognitive concepts universally are discussed.

The article presents an exploration of the aesthetic philosophical concept of "seeing-in" as defined by Richard Wollheim and its connections to the Renaissance idea of "heavenly sight." Definitions of both concepts are provided, citing their use to describe the perceptive engagement of visual art. The author then assert the correlations between the two concepts. Extensions are given to Wollheim's original parameters of seeing-in, suggesting that both phenomena are actually equivalent. Comments are given addressing possible criticisms to this view, defending the author's assertions.

The article presents an exploration into the philosophy of music, particularly focusing on the existence and determination of an ontology of music. The author asserts that a pragmatic methodological approach ought to be used rather than a semantic or modal system when defining what is music. The flaws of semantic and modal definitions are highlighted. The existence of multiple systems of ontologies is discussed, pointing out the diversity of interpretation which is possible within musical aesthetics. The author points out that the multiplicity of theories is not necessarily a challenge requiring resolution.

An index is presented for volume 67 of the journal, listing articles, discussions and symposia.

A literary criticism of the book "Sculpture: Some Observations on Shape and Form from Pygmalion's Creative Dream," by Johann Gottfried Herder is presented. It outlines Herder's proposed systematic aesthetic theory and discusses herder's views on the aesthetics of sculpture. A discussion of a lack of discussion about the aesthetics of sculpture which has been seen throughout history is presented.

The article presents an overview of the aesthetics of artistic hooks, which are concrete elements of any type of art work which catch a person's attention and imagination and lead to a peak aesthetic experience for that person. A discussion of examples of aesthetic hooks which can be found in literature, music, film and other forms of art such as painting and sculpture is presented. The author's views on the different types of hooks which exist, including the pivotal hook and the point-of-arrival hook, are discussed.

The article presents an investigation into the philosophy of the human body, somatic awareness, and self-consciousness in both Western and Eastern systems. The author's definition of "somaesthetics" is given, establishing a framework of analyzing mind and body dynamics of awareness and sense of being. An overview of conceptions of the mind-body relationship in Taoism and Chinese thought as well as in classical Western philosophy. Additional discussion of the philosophy of body awareness is given in relation to theatrical performance and dramatic theory.

The article presents an analysis of the art theory and aesthetic philosophy of the 20th-century French writer André Malraux, primarily overviewing the different waves of popular reception and response to his work. A brief summary of Malraux's artistic philosophy is given and discussion is offered regarding his minor place within mainstream art history. Several examples of harsh criticism against Malraux's views and paradigms by contemporary art historians are given. Questions are also raised challenging the legitimacy of their attacks on Malraux's works, particularly "The Voices of Silence" and "The Metamorphosis of Gods."

The article presents a discussion of the fundamental principles and methodologies of the ontology of artistic aesthetics, generally discussing the over-theoretical and abstract trends of the discipline and particularly criticizing the writings of Julian Dodd on the "simple view" of music. An overview of the simple view theory of musical ontology is given but Dodd's defense of it in the book "Works of Music" is challenged by addressing his dialectical strategy of argument and alleged faulty assumptions of instrumentalist and contextualist criticism.

The article presents an investigation into trends in 18th-century Western aesthetics of the beautiful and "unbeautiful." The particular philosophical constructions of Immanuel Kant and Moses Mendelssohn are discussed in-depth, focusing on the integration of rationality on the experience of beauty, the role of perfection in 18th-century philosophical thought, and the fundamental differences and intersections between the experience of the beautiful, the sublime, and the unbeautiful. Conclusions are offered regarding the overall structure of Kant's theory of taste, especially in the assertion of the "autonomy of beauty."

The article presents a critical response to Sherri Irvin's article "Scratching an Itch," from volume 66 (2008) of the journal, discussing the phenomenology and aesthetic theories of scratching an itch. The author challenges the underlying purpose of her argument, suggesting that the redefinition of the discipline of aesthetics to include more mundane and non-traditionally handled sensory experiences is unnecessary. The basic structure of aesthetic dialog is reviewed within the context of Irvin's itch analogy, along with the author's criticisms.

The article presents a continuing critical debate over the author's article "Scratching an Itch," from volume 66 (2008) of the journal, discussing the phenomenology and aesthetic theories of scratching an itch. The author reasserts the basic points of her initial argument, suggesting that aesthetic experience is possible within mundane somatic phenomena. The critical challenges issued by Brian Soucek, also included within the issue, suggesting that the author's aesthetic methodology excessively broadens the field of aesthetics are then rebutted.

The article focuses on the epistemology of the thought processes involved for both authors and audiences of fictional literature. The author considers the theories of philosopher of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel when constructing his own aesthetic propositions of fictional narratives which includes aspects of cognition taken from sensation, emotion, and conceptualization. A discussion of psychological literary criticism is presented. The author compares interpretations of fictional literature to scientific reports based on observation.

The article presents an overview of existing epistemic theories regarding narratives. The author considers the logical fallacies inherent in aesthetic positions which consider narratives on the basis of such criteria as psychological typing, educational or instructional value, problems of prophecy, emotional appeal, and reliability. Issues arising from defining the term "narrative" are explored. A criticism of the theories of philosopher J. David Velleman regarding narrativity and emotional closure is presented.

The article explores the aesthetic role of character in fictional narratives. The author considers narratives to be motion pictures, novels, short stories, and theater. His definition of "character" considers both fictional characters as well as their personalities or characteristics. The relevance theory of Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson and Gilbert Harman's theories on character traits are discussed. The author explores how narratives define or explain characters, how characters are necessary for narratives, and L. C. Knight's literary criticism of author William Shakespeare's characters.

The article presents an aesthetic discussion of narratives which explores the idea of symmetry between literary narratives and other forms of narration such as those in used in comics, dance and motion pictures. The philosophies of narrative in films proposed by Gregory Currie and Berys Gaut are discussed. The author argues from a philosophical language basis of "de re" as opposed to "de dicto" regarding the existence of implicit and explicit narrators in non-literary fictions. The author considers the films "The Blair Witch Project," directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, and "The Princess Bride," directed by Rob Reiner, as well as the book "Huckleberry Finn," by Mark Twain.

The article focuses on the aesthetics of people's sympathetic responses as opposed to their empathetic responses when they engage with narratives. The author argues that empathy is how the audience feels some part of a character's emotions as if they were their own. However, sympathy involves the audience responding with their own emotions to a character's situation. The article also considers anticipatory sympathy, conditional sympathy, and sympathy by proxy. A discussion of how audiences can adopt a protagonist's targets, goals, and desires as their own is presented.