Aesthetics for Birds

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art for Everyone

March 15, 2018
by Aesthetics for Birds
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Where to Study Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art

This post provides all of the information that is currently available about where to formally study aesthetics and philosophy of art. Note: There is a more recent version of this post here, from December 2020. It also includes a request for help from those working on aesthetics and philosophy of art in universities in the English-speaking world. Kathleen Stock (Sussex) has created a document that aims to comprehensively catalog all faculty working in these areas. But we need your help to fill it in!

January 11, 2017
by Rebecca Millsop
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New MA in Philosophy & the Arts at the University of Warwick, Uk

Applications are now open for an innovative new MA at the University at Warwick allowing students to combine Philosophy with one or more Arts disciplines. Warwick Philosophy operates a rolling admissions process, considering applications as they come in. Early application is encouraged to secure a place. The contributing departments to the new degree are i) Philosophy ii) English & Comparative Literature iii) Film & TV, and iv) Art History. Candidates take modules from Philosophy plus one or more arts disciplines, and have the option of gaining the degree by fulfilling the coursework requirements of 6 modules or of 4 modules plus dissertation. The degree has been designed to introduce students from both Philosophy and a variety of Arts and Humanities backgrounds to detailed philosophical study of the arts, in combination with the kind of first order critical, theoretical and historical attention to works of art, film and literature offered by … Continue reading

October 28, 2016
by Aesthetics for Birds
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Leiter Rankings of Aesthetics Grad Programs

From Leiter Reports, the 2016-2017 Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art grad program rankings. Group 1 (1-5) City University of New York Graduate Center New York University University of British Columbia University of St Andrews/University of Stirling Joint Program University of York Group 2 (6-10) Brown University Columbia University (incl. Barnard) University of Auckland University of Leeds University of Maryland, College Park Group 3 (11-17) Birkbeck College, University of London McGill University Princeton University Stanford University University of Manchester University of Texas, Austin University of Warwick (Note:   Michigan was close to Group 3 [I think it was underrated in 2014, and should be at least in Group 2]; also take note of the programs not evaluated in 2014 but that were viewed as worth recommending by the Advisory Board”  Buffalo, Temple, Hull, Oklahoma & Southampton.  Stanford’s presence on the list is due primarily to a part-time visiting appointment of the distinguished philosopher of … Continue reading

July 4, 2013
by Aesthetics for Birds
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AESTHETICS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

[This post has been updated.] What follows is an assessment of the professional state of Aesthetics with respect to faculty research at Leiter-ranked Programs in the United Kingdom. I counted only permanent faculty and so excluded visiting, emeritus, as well as affiliated faculty. Finally, faculty were counted according to two conditions which I’ve explained below (AOS, Primary). The full program/faculty list can be found at the link provided. Again, please inform me of any omissions or mistakes, as I no doubt made a few.

July 1, 2013
by Aesthetics for Birds
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THE STATUS OF AESTHETICS IN THE LEITER TOP 50

What follows is an assessment of the professional status of Aesthetics/Philosophy of Art  in terms of the number of philosophy faculty at U.S. programs within the Leiter Top 50. At the end, I’ll make a few observations, but for the most part the numbers pretty much speak for themselves. My aim here is neither to offer some sort of de facto guide to graduate Aesthetics nor in any way to impugn the quality or availability of any program’s graduate instruction therein. Rather, my goal is simply to draw attention to the current state of Aesthetics with respect to faculty research at Leiter Top 50 U.S. Philosophy Programs.