Chapter 2:

Functions, and
Philosophical
Perspectives of
Art
Ruby Rose P. Vinluan
CASS, Lecturer
 Outline

Functions of
Philosophical
Art: Why do Hierarchy of
Perspectives of
Artists make Arts
Art
Art?
Functions of Art:
Why do Artists make Art?
+The Agent of Art is Man for Expression, an integral part of
being human.
+His expression is either an art or a craft. When his
expression is for appreciation's sake, it is Art; and when his
expression is geared towards utilization, then it is Craft.
+Man, oftentimes combined art and craft and this is called
functional art.
 Physical Function (utility, instructional,
historical, representational)

Social Function (influential media,

Functions of interaction/communication)

Art Personal (inspirational, gratification,

relaxation)

Other Functions (religion, architecture,

etc)
 Art as an imitation

Philosophical Art as a representation

Perspectives
of Art Art as a disinterested judgement

Art as a communication of emotions

 ARTS ACCORDING TO:
1. Plato: Art imitates nature. Art imitates life.
2. Aristotle: Art imitates men and nature in action.
3. Oscar Wilde, Irish author: It is life that imitates art
4. Henri-Louis Bergson: It is not reason that enables us to imitate; art is not imitation; art is made from
intuition(immediate sensation and intense feeling)
5. G.E. Moore: Art is both imitation and intuition
6. Sigmund Freud: Art is a wish-fulfillment; an excellent work of art results from frustration
7. Jose Ortega Y Gaset: Art is a form of escape; escape from negative elements
8. Benedetto Croce: Art is merely an expression regardless if it is understood or not
9. Albert Camus: Art is rebellion
10. John Dewey: Art is not limited in the gallery and museum
11. Dante Leoncini: When man beautifies himself, he becomes a human art
12. Margarette Macdonalds: Art is esoteric. It is mysterious. It is indefinable. It is transintelligible. It is only
describable.
 Schopenhauer: Music is the
greatest because it is capable
Immanuel Kant: Music is the
of freeing man from his fears
lowest of all arts because it
and desires, from his anger
gives only sensible pleasure
and despair, and from other
passions and anxieties

Hierarchy of Hegel: Poetry has the best

qualities like immediate
perception, creative
Leibnitz: The fusion of poetry

Arts
and music is the highest art
imagination, development of
thoughts and events

Thus, there is no final

manner by which a hierarchy
of the arts may be
established. Each has his own
value.