May 19, 2017
Philosophy professor to attend and present at two conferences in Europe
James Hamilton, professor of philosophy, will attend the Wassard Elea Conference, "Aesthetic Foundations," May 19-22, in Ascea, Italy, as well as the European Society for Aesthetics Conference, May 25-27, in Berlin, Germany.
Hamilton will present "Verdicts: aesthetic and artistic appreciation" at the Wassard Elea Conference. The thesis is that verdicts about works of art come in two flavors, aesthetic — that are expressions of our preferences — and artistic — that are expressions of judgments about the artistic achievements of artists. This presentation defends that thesis and explores the notion of "achievements" as it pertains to works of art.
While attending the European Society for Aesthetics Conference in Germany, Hamilton will present "Theatricality." The thesis of the presentation is that a satisfactory account of theatrical and filmic performance avoids the problematic versions of the charge of "theatricality," often leveled at theatrical performances even by its fans. The account is grounded in results from cognitive psychology, ethology and traditional philosophical analyses.