When Critics Disagree: Prospects for Realism in Aesthetics

Aesthetic Properties as Powers

“…2 Some set the scope of the aesthetic by reference to art criticism (Sibley 1959); others by reference to central aesthetic concepts like beauty and ugliness (Zangwill 2001, Chapter 2). 3 In the footsteps of Hume or Kant, the many philosophers who take this view include Scruton (1974), Goldman (1995), Sibley (2001), Matravers (2005), and Ross (2014). Schellekens (2008) offers some terminological disentangling.…”

“…In the footsteps of Hume or Kant, the many philosophers who take this view include Scruton (), Goldman (), Sibley (), Matravers (), and Ross (). Schellekens () offers some terminological disentangling.…”

“…2. Note that some philosophers use the label ‘realism’ to denote merely the prospect of securing agreement among ideal critics, given a non‐realist ontology (Goldman , p. 26ff; Ross ).…”

Comparing and Sharing Taste: Reflections on Critical Advice

“…I am asking critics to recuse themselves when they do not possess the requisite sort of interest in the type of work before them. 21 Thus, we should add the following condition to Levinson's sketch: since ideal critics are authoritative with regard to some but not all works, we should restrict their critical scope to works of a type in which they are capable of taking an interest. Call this the Suitability Requirement.…”

Objectivity and evaluation

“…Mutatis mutandis for artistic goodness. Views along these lines are defended, or at least floated, by Slote (1971), Pettit (1983, Goldman (1995), Railton (1998), Levinson (2007), Ross (2014), Simoniti (2017), Zangwill (2000), Sibley (2001) and Kivy (2015). 6 5 Zangwill (1994) also interprets Hume as a noncognitivist.…”