The Art Instinct

Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution

Nonfiction, Art & Architecture, General Art, Criticism, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science
Cover of the book The Art Instinct by Denis Dutton, Bloomsbury Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Denis Dutton ISBN: 9781608191932
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Publication: July 1, 2009
Imprint: Bloomsbury Press Language: English
Author: Denis Dutton
ISBN: 9781608191932
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication: July 1, 2009
Imprint: Bloomsbury Press
Language: English

The Art Instinct combines two of the most fascinating and contentious disciplines, art and evolutionary science, in a provocative new work that will revolutionize the way art itself is perceived. Aesthetic taste, argues Denis Dutton, is an evolutionary trait, and is shaped by natural selection. It's not, as almost all contemporary art criticism and academic theory would have it, "socially constructed." The human appreciation for art is innate, and certain artistic values are universal across cultures, such as a preference for landscapes that, like the ancient savannah, feature water and distant trees. If people from Africa to Alaska prefer images that would have appealed to our hominid ancestors, what does that mean for the entire discipline of art history? Dutton argues, with forceful logic and hard evidence, that art criticism needs to be premised on an understanding of evolution, not on abstract "theory." Sure to provoke discussion in scientific circles and an uproar in the art world, The Art Instinct offers radical new insights into both the nature of art and the workings of the human mind.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The Art Instinct combines two of the most fascinating and contentious disciplines, art and evolutionary science, in a provocative new work that will revolutionize the way art itself is perceived. Aesthetic taste, argues Denis Dutton, is an evolutionary trait, and is shaped by natural selection. It's not, as almost all contemporary art criticism and academic theory would have it, "socially constructed." The human appreciation for art is innate, and certain artistic values are universal across cultures, such as a preference for landscapes that, like the ancient savannah, feature water and distant trees. If people from Africa to Alaska prefer images that would have appealed to our hominid ancestors, what does that mean for the entire discipline of art history? Dutton argues, with forceful logic and hard evidence, that art criticism needs to be premised on an understanding of evolution, not on abstract "theory." Sure to provoke discussion in scientific circles and an uproar in the art world, The Art Instinct offers radical new insights into both the nature of art and the workings of the human mind.

More books from Bloomsbury Publishing

Cover of the book Fen Country by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Channels of Resistance in Lebanon by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book How to Survive an Ofsted Inspection by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Hole's Live Through This by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Empire Ways by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Journalism and the Nsa Revelations by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book The Edge of Everything by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book The HBO Effect by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Political Metaphor Analysis by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Materializing Memories by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Rescue Pilot by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Literature and Moral Theory by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Criminal Fair Trial Rights by Denis Dutton
Cover of the book Vivek Singh's Indian Festival Feasts by Denis Dutton
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy