From: Matt the Enraged Endorphin (mpkundert@students.wisc.edu)
Date: Tue Dec 10 2002 - 01:01:26 GMT
Erin, Mari,
Mari said:
Studying art history doesn't necessarily make an artist a better artist.
Erin said:
I was thinking along the same lines. I think you can study art history as
a "historian" and as an "artist". You can also study philosophy as a
"historian" or a philosopher.
Matt:
I entirely agree on both counts. Studying the history of a subject doesn't
necessarily make for a better artist. I can't draw worth a damn and it
doesn't matter how much art history I read: I will never get better.
(Seriously, I don't think practicing helps. I think its a genetic defect
or something. If anyone wants an example of the greatest art that I can
produce, then I would reference you to my essay
"Phenomenological-Existentialism..." in the Forum where Demostration Stick
Man represents the highest of my artistic achievements.)
Erin's point about studying philosophy as a historian (which is what an
intellectual historian does) or as a philosopher is dead on. Its partly
why I find the distinction between philosophology and philosophy to be
bogus. I think Pirsig felt that there was something amiss in the
Universities, but I don't think he put his finger on it. I think Rorty is
closer to the mark when he describes his experience with two of his
professors: Carnap and McKeon (Pirsig's "Chairman"). McKeon was centered
on the history of philosophy, Plato through Hegel and beyond. Carnap was
centered on recent philosophy, specifically recent publications in analytic
philosophy. The distinction is essentially that between those who think
philosophy is about reading and reflecting and those who think philosophy
should be positivistic, leading up towards the truth. If philosophy is
about reading, then its possible to enjoy just about anybody. If
philosophy is positivistic, then there's no need to waste time on the
history of philosophy because there are important philosophical discoveries
to made.
Matt
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