Beyond aesthetics. Philosophical essays

This book brings together philosophical essays addressing art and related issues by one of the foremost philosophers of art work today. Countering conventional aesthetic theories -those maintaining that authorial intention, art history, morality, and emotional responses are irrelevant to the experience of art- Noël Carroll argues for a more pluralistic and commonsensical view in which all of these factors can play a legitimate role in our encounter with works of art. The book combines philosophical theorizing with illustrative examples that include works of high culture and the avant-garde, as well as works of popular culture, jokes, horror novels, and suspense films.