Aesthetics

Philosophical aesthetics was established at Uppsala University in the 18th century and has been taught as an academic discipline ever since. Many of the questions we examine date back even further to Plato, Aristotle and Ancient Greece. What is the role of art in society? Can art lead to knowledge or understanding? What is the relation between the beautiful, the good and the true?

Today we engage with questions and themes in aesthetics from a variety of perspectives, and investigate both historical and contemporary theories of art and aesthetic value. We also explore the connections between aesthetics and neighbouring disciplines, such as art history, literature, musicology, practical and theoretical philosophy, psychology and anthropology.

Examples include:

• Can art be defined?·
• How can music express emotions?·
• How do we explain the origins of art?

The Department of Philosophy at Uppsala University has the national responsibility for teaching in aesthetics in Sweden, a duty ordained by the Swedish government.