Save the Art, Save the World

The Philosopher’s Debate

Early Greek Philosophy

• Pythagoreans: Searching for the philosophy that would govern the best “rules of behavior” there could be…one of the earliest groups in Ancient Greece-searching for patterns amongst the chaos.

• Protagoras: All views are truth-the subjective is the only reality….he leads us to….

• Sophists -are concerned with persuasive speech to influence human behavior in the community.

Socrates• Logical in his pursuit of truth.• Concerned with self-examination• Absolute truth can only be obtained in the afterlife…• Ignorance breeds evil…• “The unexamined life is not worth living”• “A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is

a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true.”

• False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

• I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.

Plato

• Artistry is a form of “divine madness”• His theory of art and beauty is the beginning of the

western concepts of aesthetics.• Art must be correct in proportion and measure..• “For the introduction of a new kind of music must be

shunned as imperiling the whole state; since styles of music are never disturbed without affecting the most important political institutions.”

• “The good is the beautiful.”

• Art can fuel the passions and mislead seekers of truth• “Art can make men do crazy things”

Aristotle

• Art must demonstrate: symmetry,harmony, and definition.

• Tragedy is a positive experience in drama…allowing for catharsis and purging in the audience

• “Hence poetry is something more philosophic and of graver import than history, since its statements are rather of the nature of universals, whereas those of history are singulars.”

• “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”

Buddha

Origins: 500 BCE as a Hindu reform movement

Founded by Buddha who preached charity…equality…moderation

Buddha means: I AM AWAKE.

Steps to the path:

1.Everything is pain

2.The origin of pain is desire

3.Extinction of desire is nirvana

4.Following the path ends all pain.

When it spread to China and Japan, it became Mahayana Buddhism and

Bodhisattvas emerged as enlightened ones who stayed to help the mortals….

Laozi and Zhuangzi

Origins: Religious version emerged from ancient folk beliefs and adapted much of Buddhist ritual

Philisophical version came from Laozi and Zhuangzi in the 4 th century BCE….

Submission to the Dao (or path) is key here…Retreat from society and personal development is emphasized…

The Dao is the:1.Ultimate Reality

2.Way of the universe and cannot be exhausted3.The way of human life…

The beliefs include the idea that nature should be befriended, not conquered…the individual should not struggle to compete in

society….humans are at their best when in harmony with their environment…man’s part in the vastness is small…simple is better-as

civilization is artificial.

Confucius

Origins: Confucius in the 6th century But wasn’t until 2nd century BCE in the Han dynasty that the

Emperor established it as the official doctrine…Beliefs include: reason functions with the emotions and

balance is needed to correct social ills…tradition through social structure….moral ideas should exist in all commodities

so they could become habits….

9

Chimera of Arezzo, from Arezzo, Italy,

first half of fourth century BCE.

Bronze, approx. 2’ 7 1/2” high.

Terracotta Warriors (210 BCE)

2

Augustus of Primaporta (Roman, 20 BCE)

3

Sistine Chapel Ceiling Michelangelo16th Century

4

The Great Wave Hokusai:19th Century

Monet Impression, Sunrise19th century

20th CenturyPicasso, Guernica

Assignment: A Meeting of the Ancient Minds….

• In your group of 2 or 3, take on the personae of one of the philosophers/religious leaders/thinkers and research how their philosophy would apply to art….

• Look for anymore information online from legitimate educational websites that will help you understand the different philosophers’ perspectives on art. This is homework the night before. Bring your notes to class

• Decide in your group for the first 6 works above whether your philosopher/leader would keep them or let them burn in a Museum fire. Look in the Gardner’s and beyond to get a better sense of the work. Which one of these works would he value the most highly? Would he risk his life to save the work? Support why or why not…If your group has 2 people-you will discuss two of the works you feel are most relevant-one you as the great thinker-would burn and would you would rescue-if there are 3 of you-discuss one more in addition to that…include the pieces you are going to discuss on your slide (lift them from this ppt) Practice presenting the work on behalf of your philosophy and be prepared to give a persuasive Sophist-style speech in the personae of the philosopher/leader.

• Finally-prepare your group for the Guernica debate to determine whether your philosopher would advocate trying to rescue this piece from the fire. We will present arguments-debate-style in the personae of our philosophers to persuade each to save or destroy this masterpiece. Your group should research Guernica enough to understand the circumstance and intention of its creation-so you can respond to each other in class in an informed way.

Questions for consideration AFTER class on-don’t worry

about this before:

• How would Protagoras have viewed this work before our “Big Three”? Why?

• How might the Stoics or Epicureans have looked upon this work?

• Would any of the philosophers felt differently if they could have talked to Picasso? Any particular one of them? Anything particular you have knowledge of or might have interpreted yourself from viewing the work that you think might change their mind?

• Do you have personal feelings on our conclusions about how the Greek philosophers might have felt about Guernica? What about our contemporary society makes us more “ready for Guernica than Ancient Greece?