“The breadth of Relativism in the Arts all but guarantees something relevant for every reader. By providing theoretical discussions that are both supportive and critical of relativism, the editor affords the reader an opportunity to place his own views within a spectrum of critical opinion.”
—Southern Humanities Review

Description

In a world where the acceptance of relativism has caused erosion in the tradition of Cartesian dualism, representationalism in the arts has come under serious questioning. The contributors to this book seek new standards for defining and evaluating works of art.

Relativism in the Arts brings together thinkers in the fields of music, art criticism, literary criticism, philosophy, and the “history of consciousness” to confront the problems of relativist aesthetics. Their essays range from theoretical discussions of the definition of art in our times to close examinations of particular artworks or art forms. The introduction by Betty Jean Craige presents reasons for the cultural selfreflectivity that gives rise to the peculiarities of modern art.