Art is one of humanity’s most unique creations. It has a pedigree that predates philosophy, which is only 3,000 years old, and science, which is only 500 years old. Despite this, it receives very little philosophical attention. It is time for that to change.
One reason that art receives so little philosophical attention is that it is so hard to define. Many philosophers have attempted to define art, but none of them has been able to come up with a definition that is both clear and complete. This is because art has so many different functions. Art can be a means of entertainment, of selling a product, of promoting social values, of demonstrating skills, or any number of other things. It can even be a way of expressing emotions, though this is usually not the primary purpose of art.
In the past, philosophers have tried to define art by analyzing specific works of art. For example, they have looked at the style of a painting or sculpture and tried to determine its artistic value. They have also analyzed the intentions of the artist and attempted to determine what the piece was intended to say.
A problem with these attempts is that art often has multiple meanings, and it is difficult to determine the exact intention of an artwork. For example, a painting might be meant to show that nature is beautiful, or it might be meant to convey the emotions of the artist. These are not necessarily the same thing, and it is impossible to know what the artist really meant unless they were talking directly to the viewer.
Another issue with defining art is that it is very easy to create something that seems to be an artwork, but in fact is not. For example, a movie might seem to be an art work because it is well made and has some interesting ideas, but in reality it is just a film. Another possibility is that something might seem like an art work, but in fact it is not because it has some important esthetic issues that would make it unsuitable for the arts.
Some philosophers have suggested that art is a way of grasping the world. Not just the physical world, which is what science tries to do, but the human world as well, including society and spiritual experience.
Other philosophers have argued that art is important because it serves to maintain broad standards in civilization. They have pointed out that art can be critical of the established order, and it can help to foster tolerance between disparate communities by reminding them of their common humanity.