Art & Philosophy

As an artist myself, I would have never imagined a society lacking in the arts. Music, writing, visual and performing arts are all factors of life we experience every day. This has not always been the case, as we look further into the depths of philosophers and their views on art and its value in society.

Most people know the works of Plato, but did you know that he was against the realm of art? According to Plato, art could hinder people's perception of reality as it distorts the line between what is real and fake. He founded his own school within Athens to spread his teachings to students, though he was firmly against the democratic government, believing that free thinking was constricted. His beliefs included being grounded in reality and that one's external metaphysical characteristics parallel the internal condition of the soul. Plato was a rational thinker and taught some of the greatest minds of Western philosophy, such as Aristotle. He taught the philosophy of ideals: an ideal love, justice, or world is an unreachable concept that people put in their minds destined to fail at accomplishing.

Aristotle, one of Plato's students in Athens, ended up departing from the school following the death of Plato. Although he was a devoted follower, he parted ways from the school and seemed to have quite the opposite take on art. If you have heard about Logos, Ethos, or Pathos, you have most likely done research into anything from marketing, sales, critical

thinking, or writing. These three ideas that Aristotle popularized have since been used as a guideline for winning over a crowd. Logos (logic), Ethos (credibility), and Pathos (emotional connection) all have a presence within art. Aristotle specifically believed that the human body needs a way to expel negative internal emotions, such as sadness or anger, mostly through art. This would be referred to as "Catharsis," and art gives you the opportunity through Pathos to be moved to tears. Have you ever watched a movie so sad that you cried? I certainly have, and Aristotle would definitely applaud you for your performance of catharsis. The expulsion of these emotions would assist you in carrying on with your daily life.

Do you think that Plato or Aristotle had a better philosophy when it came to art? I'd say Aristotle is definitely my choice in art, but these two philosophers went down in history for a reason! Despite their differences, a better world is what they wanted to accomplish, and I believe that through art we have a way to express ourselves through political or recreational means.