Music, Art, and MetaphysicsThis is a long-awaited reissue of Jerrold Levinson's 1990 book Music, Art, and Metaphysics, which gathers together the writings that made him a leading figure in contemporary aesthetics. Most of the essays are distinguished by a concern with metaphysical questions about artworks and their properties, but other essays address the problem of art's definition, the psychology of aesthetic response, and the logic of interpreting and evaluating works of art. The focus of about half of the essays is the art of music, the art of greatest interest to Levinson throughout his career. Many of the essays have been very influential, being among the most cited in contemporary aesthetics and having become essential references in debates on the definition of art, the ontology of art, emotional response to art, expression in art, and the nature of art forms. |
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activity actual aesthetic attributes appears appreciation appropriate argument art form artistic artworks aspect certain Chapter character claim clear clearly complex composer composition concept concerned condition connection consider correct count course created Criticism definition determined discussion distinct earlier effect emotion essay essential example exist experience expression fact feeling give given historical hope hybrid idea identical identified imagine important indicated individual instances intentional involved issue Journal kind Kivy least less listener logically matter means mind nature notion object offer original painting particular passage past performance perhaps person physical piece poem position possible present problem produced properties proposal pure question reason reference regard relation relevant respect response result sadness seems sense simply sort sound structure specific suggest surely things thought tion titles true truth turn understand virtue