Unwrapping Beauty
Bence Nanay
About the Course
What does it mean to experience beauty? Where does our taste for the beautiful come from? We often think some things are inherently beautiful - from a Botticelli to the Niagara Falls. But Philosopher Bence Nanay argues that our perception of beauty is purely a function of our cultural background. Nevertheless, he posits that we can find a universal definition of beauty, offering a radical new direction for the field of aesthetic appreciation.
By the end of the course, you will have learned:
- How our cultural backgrounds influence our taste in art.
- Why our current model for aesthetic appreciation is problematic.
- A fresh vision for how we should view artworks.
- A radical new way of understanding beauty which cuts through cultural differences.
As part of the course there are in-video quiz questions to consolidate your learning, and discussion boards to have your say.
IAI Academy courses are designed to be challenging but accessible to the interested student. No specialist knowledge is required.
About the Instructor
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Bence Nanay
Bence Nanay is a Professor of Philosophy, whose research focuses on philosophy of mind, philosophy of biology and aesthetics. He is co-director of the Centre for Philosophical Psychology at the University of Antwerp and also Senior Research Associate at Peterhouse, Cambridge University.
Nanay's work has featured in numerous journals such as the Journal of Philosophy and Philosophical Studies. He also works as a film critic, and has served on the jury of a number of major film festivals, including the Chicago International Film Festival and the San Francisco Film Festival.
Course Syllabus
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Part 1: Why do we see things differently?In part 1 Professor Bence Nanay explores how our current conception of beauty is fragmented. He examines the role our cultural backgrounds play in informing the way we see art, before setting up the challenge of trying to find a common ground for aesthet
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Part 2: The search for a new theory of aesthetic appreciation
