PHIL 28.02 Phenomenology and the Mimetic Arts
Phenomenology offers a distinctive approach to philosophical problems because it is centered on unpacking the structure and content of experience. This course introduces students to phenomenological methods, and then focuses these techniques on the mimetic arts. The arts of imitation – figurative painting and sculpture, photography, film, theater, and so on – are particularly phenomenologically interesting. Experiences of them are complex because they involve awareness of the representations as well as what they represent, among other things. As such, they are both excellent candidates for phenomenological analysis, as well as test cases for phenomenological methods. This course will consider both classical and contemporary thinkers in the phenomenological tradition, as well as their critics.
Prerequisite
One Philosophy course, or permission of the instructor.