Aesthetics for Birds

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art for Everyone

March 19, 2020
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Getting Past Form: on the Value of Literary Ideas

What follows is a guest post by Patrick Fessenbecker. In a recent column in The New York Times, Ross Douthat contends that English professors aren’t having the right kind of arguments. Reflecting on the analysis of the decline of the humanities in a series of essays in the Chronicle of Higher Education over the last year, Douthat makes a familiar diagnosis: the problem is that we literature professors no longer believe in the real value of the objects we study. Engaging Simon During’s account of the decline of the humanities as a “second secularization” in particular, Douthat argues that secular attempts to defend the humanities will fail just as surely as secular attempts to defend religious ethics and norms did: it doesn’t work unless you really believe in the thing. Correspondingly, the debates literary scholars are having about how to expand the range of texts and subjects we teach are … Continue reading

December 12, 2019
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ASA Elections: Cast Your Votes by December 31!

The American Society for Aesthetics (ASA) is currently holding elections for three trustee positions. The three elected trustees will serve three-year terms (February 1, 2020 – January 31, 2023). Brief bios for the nominees appear below the fold. The deadline to vote is December 31, 2019. Results will be announced in early January. Everyone who is currently holds a 2019 ASA membership is eligible to vote. Notably, the ASA allows cumulative voting: Each member gets three votes, and can cast all anywhere between one and three votes for the each person. For example, members can vote once for three different people, or spend all three votes on one person. To vote, click here.

October 24, 2019
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Thoughts for Improving the ASA National Meeting

What follows is a guest post by Nick Wiltsher (Uppsala University). I enjoyed the recent American Society for Aesthetics (ASA) National Meeting in Phoenix. I saw and learned from several good talks, my own talk went decently, I caught up with friends and met new people. Natalie Diaz’s Danto Lecture was outstanding. It takes a heck of a lot of work to organize a conference like that, and I’m very appreciative of the efforts of all those who did that work. But whether or not I enjoy a conference is not the measure of whether or not it is good. A conference is good if it reaches the aims appropriate to a conference. I think the ASA falls short. From conversations during the last few days, I gather that I am not alone in thinking so. I intend here to articulate my main reasons for thinking so, and some potential … Continue reading

December 4, 2018
by Aesthetics for Birds
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ASA Elections

The American Society for Aesthetics (ASA) is currently holding elections for a vice president and for two trustee positions. The ASA Vice President will serve a two-year term starting February 1, 2019, and after which they will serve as ASA President for two years. The two ASA Trustees will serve for three years, also starting February 1, 2019. Brief bios for the nominees appear below the fold. (These were sent out via email to ASA members.) The deadline to vote is December 31, 2018. Results will be announced in early January. All members of the ASA in 2018 are eligible to vote. To vote, click here.

October 16, 2018
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ASA Apologizes and Announces Ombudsperson

On Saturday, October 13, the American Society for Aesthetics (ASA) issued an apology to Dr. Shelby Moser for their handling of her sexual harassment complaint. This went out via email to all members registered for the recent ASA Annual Meeting. Below is an excerpt from the apology: “This summer, several individuals in the ASA Board made misleading public comments about the incident and its reporting. As a result, the member making the complaint felt obliged to make a public statement, identifying  herself, to set the record straight. The Board of Trustees of the ASA hereby apologizes to Dr. Shelby Moser for misleading communications to the effect that she had not made an official complaint in 2017. We deeply regret that she felt compelled by the  remarks to  publicly identify herself, needlessly causing her stress and disrupting her life. We salute her grace and courage in speaking out. We recognize that … Continue reading

August 30, 2018
by Aesthetics for Birds
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The ASA Just Needs to Apologize – a Response to Last Week’s Statement

What follows is a guest post by Brian Soucek (UC Davis). Two weeks after its false statements forced an ASA member to out herself as the philosopher who’d been sexually harassed at the last Annual Meeting, the ASA has finally apologized. Oh wait…no it hasn’t. The ASA’s statement this week “acknowledge[s]” the call to do better; it “promise[s]” that the Officers and Trustees will “do our very best to ensure a productive environment in which all ASA members” (including, presumably, the harasser who had reportedly been given a spot on the upcoming Program) “can flourish”; and it “thanks[s]” members who have challenged it “to better express and promote … our deepest values.”

August 29, 2018
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An Overview Of the ASA Sexual Harassment Scandal

There’s been some controversy recently over a sexual harassment accusation and the ASA’s response to it. It’s worth clearing up some of the misinformation that has spread, and giving a brief (fact-checked) summary of what happened and what continues to cause concern.

August 29, 2018
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ASA Releases Statement Amidst Growing Concern

The American Society for Aesthetics (ASA) have released a statement regarding the renewed interest and concern surrounding last year’s sexual harassment incident and their policies on discrimination, harassment, and respectful behavior. The text of their statement is reproduced below.