Dominique Bombredi

AMT 254
In Class Essay 2
December 9, 2014
Cognitivism and How We Value Forms of Art
While exploring various art forms during the semester we have
been learning how others argue about the value of art. The Graham
text Philosophy of the Arts has given us the theory of aesthetic
cognitivism to explain how we value particular art forms over others.
Graham has four main arguments for explaining his theory of
cognitivism. Theses four points help give a new level of understanding
to explaining cognitivism and how we value art.
The first argument Graham makes is that serious art enriches
human understanding and it makes it easy to explain the place art hold
in our culture. Next is that unlike other explanations of the value of
art, cognitivism can make sense of someones commitment to a
lifetime of art. Graham helps us make sense of the division and the
discrimination we have between popular and serious art. The final
point that Graham speaks about when defining aesthetic cognitivism is
that it helps us makes sense of the way we talk about art. Using
Grahams ideas of cognitivism I will be digging deeper into two
different forms of performing arts. By looking into these two forms of
art I will be able to understand what they are, how they are presented

for experience, and how these two art form are experienced by me. I
will be looking into the questions and theories posed by different
philosophers and I will be drawing off of personal experiences that I
have had while exploring these two art forms over the semester.
Theatre is looked at as a lesser form of art compared to visual art
by some but I believe that they are both equally valued forms of art. As
a performing arts major who also has a background in visual arts I find
performing arts on the same level as visual arts. To be able to see
them equally valued you have to be able to separate them and not
compare them in the same way because all art doesnt follow a specific
set of rules and guidelines.
After reading the Boersema essay on performing arts I felt like
someone had the same views about performing arts not be a lesser
form of art. In the beginning of his essay he talks about how some
artworks are looked at as unique and original like the Mona Lisa but
other original pieces of performed art like Hamlet and The Star
Spangled Banner are looked at like just a performance because of the
fact they are redone millions of time. I found it funny that when people
copy and recreate the Mona Lisa the original piece is still being
referred to the specific original painting. The question he poses is,
what is the status and nature, then, of art as performance?
(Boersema 237). I am still trying to figure out my answer to this
question and I am curious to see how others answer it.

He continues to explain how when we think of performing arts we

define them as a form of art that requires a type of performance or
action. We look to analyze a theatre performance like a piece of art but
we have different things to consider while doing it. You need to look
into the author of the piece considering what and why they wrote, you
look into the director or producer of the play and you question the
intentions of why they did certain things, you look into how the actors
portray their character, and you need to look into the music of the
piece. With dance you are looking and analyzing different aspects of a
performance similar to a theatre performance. You are looking into the
composer of the music, the costumer, the sets, the choreographer, and
the dancers. I find myself wondering why they did certain thing in a
performance but the key when looking into a piece of performance art
is that they all need to be analyzed for different thing in different ways.
After seeing reading and seeing a performance of Clifford
Odettes Awake and Sing I noticed myself analyzing pieces of the show
that I never had before. I found myself asking a lot of question as to
why the director as well as the actors made particular decision to do or
say things the way that they did. To be able to look at things in
different ways was an eye opening experience.

In dance you may be looking into the skill value and training
more than you would for a theatre performance.
being

presented

and

asked

is

showcasing

Everything that is

Grahams

ideas

of

cognitivism and they help me to ask the correct question and to go

through the process of analyzing and appreciating performing arts like
theatre and dance in a better way.
Aesthetic cognitivism has helped me to be able to ask the right
question to others and myself. It has helped me to get a greater
understanding of different types of art that I didnt value previously. I
feel like I can take the ideas presented by Graham as well as other
philosophers and continue to expand my knowledge, analyze different
types of art, and ask the correct question to get a better grasp on
different concepts of aesthetics.

Comments
Presents two art forms in a way
that makes clear the different
issues and questions for PoA
each presents
Reading(s) chosen to construct
the essay are relevant and
accurately presented
Specific examples of artworks
are used to apply ideas and
demonstrate how they work
Total

You present theater in good detail in terms

of the issues and questions it raises, but
dance doesn't get much attention.

Your
score
16/20

Good use of Graham; any comments about

other points of view?

19/20

Awake and Sing, but without

specific examples from your
experience, and no dance
examples

5/10

40/50