Reading Guide for Dewey, Reading Guide for Dewey, “Art as Experience”“Art as Experience”

John Dewey, philosopher, educator, and activist, had a John Dewey, philosopher, educator, and activist, had a major influence on many aspects of American life. As major influence on many aspects of American life. As a philosopher, he is one of the small number of people a philosopher, he is one of the small number of people

responsible for the development of the philosophy responsible for the development of the philosophy called Pragmatism. Like Nietzsche he made art called Pragmatism. Like Nietzsche he made art

central to his philosophy. His philosophy of the arts is central to his philosophy. His philosophy of the arts is sketched in this essay.sketched in this essay.

Art, art works, and experienceArt, art works, and experience

When we think of art we tend to think of art When we think of art we tend to think of art objects, says Dewey.objects, says Dewey.

But this is a mistake. The real art is the But this is a mistake. The real art is the experience of making or encountering the experience of making or encountering the object. object.

When the work is separated from these When the work is separated from these experiences, it is separated from life.experiences, it is separated from life.

A true work of art is a refined and A true work of art is a refined and intensified form of experience. intensified form of experience.

QuestionQuestion

Does Dewey think that every individual Does Dewey think that every individual unified experience counts as art? Or is it unified experience counts as art? Or is it only some of them that do? See if you can only some of them that do? See if you can find the answer to this question as you find the answer to this question as you read.read.

Experience in general, and having Experience in general, and having an experiencean experience

Experience occurs continuously; but only some Experience occurs continuously; but only some experiences are complete and unified. When experiences are complete and unified. When “the material experienced has run its course to “the material experienced has run its course to fulfillment”, then we might say, “That was an fulfillment”, then we might say, “That was an experience.” experience.”

““In such experiences, every successive part In such experiences, every successive part flows freely, without seam and without unfilled flows freely, without seam and without unfilled blanks, into what ensues” (p. 206). What do you blanks, into what ensues” (p. 206). What do you think of this description of the experience of think of this description of the experience of making or encountering a work of art?making or encountering a work of art?

QuestionQuestion

Do you agree that every individual Do you agree that every individual experience is unified by “a single quality experience is unified by “a single quality that pervades the entire experience in that pervades the entire experience in spite of the variation of its constituent spite of the variation of its constituent parts”? Dewey says this on page 206. parts”? Dewey says this on page 206. Think about some experiences of art, and Think about some experiences of art, and some other experiences you have had, some other experiences you have had, and see if this claim rings true. and see if this claim rings true.

Art making and Aesthetic Art making and Aesthetic experienceexperience

The artist is a producer; the product is The artist is a producer; the product is experienced by the perceiver. But the art maker experienced by the perceiver. But the art maker must also be governed by this experience. If must also be governed by this experience. If not, the art is cold and dead. not, the art is cold and dead.

““Art denotes a process of doing or making.” Art denotes a process of doing or making.” This, says Dewey, is why “the dictionaries This, says Dewey, is why “the dictionaries usually define it in terms of skilled action, ability usually define it in terms of skilled action, ability in execution” (is this possibly backwards? Since in execution” (is this possibly backwards? Since maybe there were arts before there was what we maybe there were arts before there was what we call Art.)call Art.)

Art making and aesthetic Art making and aesthetic experience (cont.)experience (cont.)

So art unifies “doing and undergoing”. So art unifies “doing and undergoing”. “The artist embodies in himself the attitude “The artist embodies in himself the attitude of the perceiver while he works.”of the perceiver while he works.”

(But the perceiver of what? Of a (But the perceiver of what? Of a message? Of the exercise of skill? Of message? Of the exercise of skill? Of beauty, or some other property? Maybe beauty, or some other property? Maybe even usefulness or efficiency?)even usefulness or efficiency?)

The Expressive Objective (p. 208)The Expressive Objective (p. 208)

Dewey mentions two mistakes one can make Dewey mentions two mistakes one can make when thinking about the work of art as an when thinking about the work of art as an expression. The first is to think of it as simply expression. The first is to think of it as simply expressing the maker’s emotions; the second is expressing the maker’s emotions; the second is to think of its expressive qualities independent of to think of its expressive qualities independent of the fact that someone is expressing something the fact that someone is expressing something by means of the object.by means of the object.

Does Dewey avoid making these mistakes Does Dewey avoid making these mistakes himself? In what way does he think a work of art himself? In what way does he think a work of art is expressive?is expressive?

The expressive object (continued)The expressive object (continued)

Now Dewey goes on to distinguish extrinsic from Now Dewey goes on to distinguish extrinsic from inherent meaning. inherent meaning.

Extrinsic meaning is the kind of meaning that words and Extrinsic meaning is the kind of meaning that words and mathematical symbols have. It is arbitrary; by a mathematical symbols have. It is arbitrary; by a conventional assignment, “dog” stands for a dog. But it conventional assignment, “dog” stands for a dog. But it could just as well stand for a cat or a car. There is could just as well stand for a cat or a car. There is nothing in the letters or the sounds that connects them nothing in the letters or the sounds that connects them with a canine (as “bow-wow” might, if that were the word with a canine (as “bow-wow” might, if that were the word for dog).for dog).

Inherent meaning is the kind that art works have. It is Inherent meaning is the kind that art works have. It is built-in; it flows from the nature of the thing. E.g. a flower, built-in; it flows from the nature of the thing. E.g. a flower, a snarling mouth, an embrace, a scream, even a jagged a snarling mouth, an embrace, a scream, even a jagged line.line.

The expressive object (cont.)The expressive object (cont.)

Do you agree that all art works have Do you agree that all art works have meaning in this second sense? What meaning in this second sense? What about an abstract sculpture? A Calder about an abstract sculpture? A Calder mobile, like the one hanging in the main mobile, like the one hanging in the main hall of the Philadelphia Museum of Art? hall of the Philadelphia Museum of Art? What about a carefully crafted teacup? What about a carefully crafted teacup?

Substance and formSubstance and form Dewey emphasizes that substance and form Dewey emphasizes that substance and form

always come together. He also emphasizes that always come together. He also emphasizes that “objects of art are a language.” As with language “objects of art are a language.” As with language itself, the public meaning attached to the itself, the public meaning attached to the medium means that the work can move beyond medium means that the work can move beyond the intent of the maker. Dewey quotes Matisse, the intent of the maker. Dewey quotes Matisse, who said “When a painting is finished, it is like a who said “When a painting is finished, it is like a new-born child. The artist himself must have new-born child. The artist himself must have time for understanding it.” (p. 211) time for understanding it.” (p. 211)

The artist “assimilates [common] material in a The artist “assimilates [common] material in a distinctive way to reissue it into the public world distinctive way to reissue it into the public world in a form that builds a new object” (p. 212)in a form that builds a new object” (p. 212)

Substance and formSubstance and form

The material for art can be anything at all; The material for art can be anything at all; and there is no limit on the kinds of form and there is no limit on the kinds of form that can characterize it, either. Rather, that can characterize it, either. Rather, “form marks a way of envisaging, of “form marks a way of envisaging, of feeling and of presenting experienced feeling and of presenting experienced matter so that it most readily and matter so that it most readily and effectively becomes material for the effectively becomes material for the construction of adequate experience on construction of adequate experience on the part of those less gifted than the the part of those less gifted than the original creator (p. 213)” original creator (p. 213)”

Substance and form (cont.)Substance and form (cont.)

Note, bottom of p. 212, Dewey refines his view: the Note, bottom of p. 212, Dewey refines his view: the experienced object, not the object by itself, is the art experienced object, not the object by itself, is the art work. “A work of art no matter how old and classic is work. “A work of art no matter how old and classic is actually, not just potentially, a work of art only when it actually, not just potentially, a work of art only when it lives in some individualized experience….[It] is recreated lives in some individualized experience….[It] is recreated every time it is esthetically experienced.”every time it is esthetically experienced.”

This means that works necessarily change through time, This means that works necessarily change through time, because it’s impossible for us to experience the because it’s impossible for us to experience the Parthenon, for example, in the way that an ancient Parthenon, for example, in the way that an ancient Athenian would have experienced that building when it Athenian would have experienced that building when it was first made (p. 213). was first made (p. 213).

Substance and form (cont.)Substance and form (cont.) Dewey gives an argument (bottom p. 213) that Dewey gives an argument (bottom p. 213) that

one “undefined pervasive quality of an one “undefined pervasive quality of an experience” binds it together and makes it a experience” binds it together and makes it a whole work of art. What evidence does he give whole work of art. What evidence does he give for this conclusion. Do you think the evidence for this conclusion. Do you think the evidence proves the conclusion?proves the conclusion?

What is the relationship between the unity of What is the relationship between the unity of some particular experience and the unity of some particular experience and the unity of experience in general? Think about Dewey’s experience in general? Think about Dewey’s comments on madness and on the meaning of comments on madness and on the meaning of art, (top to middle p. 214) and see what you art, (top to middle p. 214) and see what you make of them. make of them.

The common substance of the artsThe common substance of the arts

Notice Dewey’s comments (top of p. 216) Notice Dewey’s comments (top of p. 216) about art about art media,media, means which are means which are incorporated in the end result rather than incorporated in the end result rather than being being meremere means to achieving it. “Media means to achieving it. “Media and esthetic effect are completely fused.” and esthetic effect are completely fused.” Does this seem right to you, that the Does this seem right to you, that the means and the end product are always means and the end product are always integrated in a work of art?integrated in a work of art?

The common substance of the arts The common substance of the arts (cont.)(cont.)

Dewey goes on to say that “Sensitivity to a Dewey goes on to say that “Sensitivity to a medium as a medium is the very heart of all medium as a medium is the very heart of all artistic creation and esthetic perception” (p. artistic creation and esthetic perception” (p. 217). 217).

Think carefully about this. It could mean that Think carefully about this. It could mean that “sensitivity to a medium as medium” “sensitivity to a medium as medium” substantially defines what art is, or that it is one substantially defines what art is, or that it is one (though not the only) defining characteristic of (though not the only) defining characteristic of art. Is either of these claims true?art. Is either of these claims true?

The challenge to philosophyThe challenge to philosophy P. 218, last paragraph and following: Dewey P. 218, last paragraph and following: Dewey

comes closest here to giving a definition of what comes closest here to giving a definition of what distinguishes art from other things. The work of distinguishes art from other things. The work of art, he says, works by imagination. It physically art, he says, works by imagination. It physically embodies an imaginative assembly of meanings, embodies an imaginative assembly of meanings, and challenges the perceiver to a similar and challenges the perceiver to a similar imaginative assembly of meanings. imaginative assembly of meanings.

Finally (p. 219), Dewey indicates why he sees Finally (p. 219), Dewey indicates why he sees philosophy of art as central to all philosophy. philosophy of art as central to all philosophy. Aesthetic experience is “pure experience”. If Aesthetic experience is “pure experience”. If you want to understand experience, look to the you want to understand experience, look to the experience that is art.experience that is art.

A challenge to budding A challenge to budding philosophers philosophers

Write out what you think are the central things Write out what you think are the central things Dewey is saying about the arts and aesthetic Dewey is saying about the arts and aesthetic experience.experience.

Ask whether what Dewey has defined describes Ask whether what Dewey has defined describes and captures the essence of some obvious and captures the essence of some obvious examples (making or looking at a painting, a examples (making or looking at a painting, a musical performance, a dance). Ask how his musical performance, a dance). Ask how his description/definition squares with some less description/definition squares with some less obvious examples (throwing a pot, preparing a obvious examples (throwing a pot, preparing a gourmet meal). gourmet meal).

Challenge to budding philosophers Challenge to budding philosophers (cont.)(cont.)

Does Dewey’s general approach to the arts Does Dewey’s general approach to the arts appeal to you? Do you think it is basically right?appeal to you? Do you think it is basically right?

Are there any details of his approach that you Are there any details of his approach that you think need to be refined or corrected?think need to be refined or corrected?

If you accept Dewey’s views, which of the views If you accept Dewey’s views, which of the views we’ve looked at so far would you have to reject, we’ve looked at so far would you have to reject, if any?if any?

How would you compare Dewey’s approach to How would you compare Dewey’s approach to that of Larry Shiner?that of Larry Shiner?