PHIL 4950 - Topics in Philosophies of Art & Nature

(3) Credit Hours

Though they are often thought of in opposition, art and nature and deeply intertwined, both conceptually and in practice. Art is a cultural product—something created by human intention and design, while nature is thought to be occurring of its own accord—something that exists independently of human design and control. However, over time, the intermingling of nature and culture has become increasingly complex, and this has important consequences for both society and ecological systems. This course explores significant philosophies of art and nature in the history of philosophy and/or contemporary theories of environmental aesthetics and the role of art in environmental movements in order to understand these consequences more deeply.