Module manager: Victor Dura-Vila
Email: V.Dura-Vila@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| PHIL5360M | Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art |
This module is approved as an Elective
In this module, you will examine philosophical issues concerning the nature and values of art, aesthetic appreciation, and the nature of aesthetic knowledge and justification. It is a mark of civilisation that you cultivate and promote the arts. The presumption is that art educates and ennobles your mind. Imagine how much less you would know if you lived in a world without literature, films, paintings, and music. In this module, you will investigate, in philosophical terms, what such claims amount to and how, if at all, you can justify them. What does it mean for you to evaluate a work as art? Can your taste be objective? Can you justify your aesthetic claims? Can you learn from art? Should immoral artworks repel you? What does it mean for you to be artistically creative? You will explore philosophical approaches to these questions, from historical figures such as Hume and Kant to more contemporary thinkers. This module will help you cultivate a deeper philosophical understanding and reflection on the nature of art, critical judgment, appreciation, and the values of art. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The purpose of this module is to introduce you to philosophical approaches to thinking about aesthetics, including the nature of art, beauty, and aesthetic experience. You will explore contemporary issues related to aesthetics appreciation, while learning to critically and independently apply these philosophical approaches to real and current debates about art and value.
You will achieve these goals through lectures that introduce you to key theories, issues, and thinkers, as well as through seminar preparation and participation. In seminars, you will work with your peers to apply philosophical ideas to aesthetic questions, developing and refining your own independent understanding of art and aesthetic judgment.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Critically analyse some of the central theories, debates, and problems in aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
2. Insightfully and charitably evaluate key texts in aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
3. Apply theoretical analysis from aesthetics and the philosophy of art to specific examples drawn from literature, visual art, film, or other artistic media.
4. Develop and defend your own reasoned stance on applied issues in aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
5. Communicate ideas and understanding clearly and concisely (Academic and Work Ready skill)
6. Search for, synthesise and critically evaluate source material to identify key insights and their relevance to broader contexts. (Academic, Work Ready and Digital skill)
Topics may vary each year but example topics are:
Aesthetic experience
Art and morality
Art and knowledge/understanding
Interpretation and authorial intention
Art and the emotions
Art and objectivity/subjectivity
Humour: ethics and aesthetics
Feminist art
Music and dance: rhythm
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Tutorial | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Private study hours | 181 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 19 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Each student is invited to complete ONE piece of formative work which will receive written feedback.
Students are given a choice of: essay plan, literature review or exposition of an argument.
Students should read and reflect on (i) the feedback they received in previous summative assessments, (ii) the PRHS marking criteria and (iii) the specific guidance provided on the summative assessment in this module and identify for themselves the type of formative feedback that will be most beneficial for them.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Resit will be by the same methodology as the first attempt. Students will select a different essay question from the list provided.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
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