- 期刊
An Aesthetics of "Realness:" Arendt on the Work of Art
並列摘要
What is the place of art in Arendt's philosophy? In this article, I will attempt to shed light on that question, focusing on passages where Arendt describes actual works of art and reflecting on those passages in connection with her concept of the thought-thing. As I will show, the concept of the thought-thing is crucial for understanding Arendt's idea of art, the latter being a field of study that deserves more attention than has been given so far. Contemporary scholarship contains ample reflection on the aesthetic aspects of Arendt's political philosophy, her theory of imagination and her theory of judgment. I will argue that Arendt's conception of art is crucial for an understanding of her notion of aesthetics. The link between a political aesthetics and Arendt's concept of art can be seen in her concept of sensus communis. I will offer a reading of Arendt's notion of sensus communis wherein it is conceived not as a measure of agreement but rather as a notion of realness. As such, sensus communis is not a point of agreement towards which we all strive but a sensible experience in which the senses interact. Sensus communis is not an opinion or an ideology, but rather the sensible ground on which our experience may be communicated and shared. A work of art may help direct our sensible experience and create a ground of sharing.