*This is session 4 of 5 of this course.
Five Thursdays, April 23–May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM
A five-week discussion class built around a deceptively simple question: what counts as art, and who gets to decide?
What you’ll do
Each week, you’ll explore a different answer to the question of what art is—from ancient Greece to the present—and put it to the test with real examples. There will be short lectures to introduce the ideas, but the heart of each session is conversation: you’ll discuss, disagree, and work out where you stand.
What you’ll learn
Week 1 — Art as imitation: is art valuable because it reflects reality?
Week 2 — Art as expression: is art the communication of inner experience?
Week 3 — Art as form: does art's value lie in structure and composition?
Week 4 — The institutional question: does the "art world" decide what counts?
Week 5 — The open question: can art even be defined?
Great for: Anyone curious about art and ideas. No background in philosophy or art history needed.
Instructor: Phil Mack holds a PhD in philosophy and has over ten years of experience teaching at UW–Madison, Marquette University, and UW–Milwaukee. He makes big ideas accessible through conversation, not academic jargon, and is building a public philosophy practice in the Madison area.
Schedule
This is one class held over five dates. Registration includes all five sessions.
Session 1: Thursday, April 23, 6:30–8:00 PM
Session 2: Thursday, April 30, 6:30–8:00 PM
Session 3: Thursday, May 7, 6:30–8:00 PM
Session 4: Thursday, May 14, 6:30–8:00 PM
Session 5: Thursday, May 21, 6:30–8:00 PM
Cost: $105
Materials: Short handouts will be provided in each session - no outside reading or preparation required.
What to bring: Just yourself.