Award in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of art

• Course code	CA5-18-22p
  Course Title	Award in Aesthetics and Philosophy
  Course Start and planned End Date	Start date: January 29 2024 Prospected End date: June 17, 2024
  Lectures	Mondays, 18:00 – 20:00 – MCAST Mosta
  Venue	MCAST Mosta – Institute of Creative Arts, and online.
  Geo-location	https://goo.gl/maps/i4JpsgoQ1HntSnX67
  Mode of Delivery	F2F and Online
  Method of Assessment	Project
  Institute	MCAST Mosta – Institute of Creative Arts
  Year of studies (1st, 2nd etc)	1st
  MQF Level	5
  Credits	5 ECTS
  Duration of course	38 Hours

Course Description:

What makes something a work of art? Is there some feature common to all artworks? Are we simply stating our personal  taste  when  we  say  something  is  good  or  bad  art  or  is  there  something  more  objective  about  such statements?

Does a great artwork lose its greatness if it is made by a bad person? Philosophy delves deeper into a topic,  seeking  wisdom  and  profound  truths  while  helping  us  see  the  bigger  picture. The philosophy of art, therefore, tries to understand deeper truths about art. It is concerned with the big questions about beauty and taste, the nature of art, aesthetic appreciation, and the concepts we use to evaluate and interpret art and artworks. This course familiarises the students with some of the main ideas and texts in aesthetics and the philosophy of art. It introduces the students to philosophy as an academic discipline that also explores beauty, art and its nature, and its value. Students will learn about different theories such as the mimetic theory, art as expression, formalism, and the institutional theory of art, as well as theories of art criticism, interpretation, and evaluation. By the end of this course, students will gain philosophical insight in analysing, debating, and criticising concepts, arguments, and definitions of art while encouraging practice-based research, creativity, and thinking outside the box.

Learning Outcomes (LOs):

LO1      Identify some of the main authors and ideas in the history of aesthetics and the philosophy of art.

LO2      Formulate the issues concerning theories within aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
LO3      Apply artistic theories and concepts in artistic practice.

LO4      Read effectively, analyse, and use primary and secondary texts.

LO5      Communicate more effectively when discussing art and artworks.

LO6      Cultivate transferable skills within the context of critiquing art.