Anti-Essentialism And Issue Of The Essence Of Art

Abstract This thesis does not intend to propose new theories on the essence of art, but to rethink critically the theoretical presuppositions on the essence of art. Many aestheticians have been seeking the answer to the question 揥hat is art?? since Plato. Their common presupposition is: art exists in the characteristics of eternity. The theory of anti-essence was Wittgenstein抯 early philosophy. He replaces the 搃mage theory?of his early years with 搈eaning is usage? thus eliminated the empirical nature of entity; his explanation of replacing the universal nature with 揻amily resemblances?made the pursuit for the essence impossible. However, the anti-essence theory has gone too far, it negated completely the necessity and possibility of anything abstract and generalized. Wittgenstein proposed that philosophy was 損ure descriptive knowledge? which is factually the utopia in epistemology. On the basis of the extended research on the 揻amily resemblances? the present paper tries to rescue the concept of 揺ssence?as well as discard the essence theory. It also proposes three denotations for 揺ssence? a, essence is the features shared by limited objects; b, essence is the mostly common features; c, essence is the core features. Integrated with the 搃deal types?methodology, the paper develops the research methodology in classification, comparison and typification, surpasses the epistemology of essence theory and anti-essence theory, and advocates the relative rationality. The new essence notion claims that it is the concept that people abstract from some of the features of an object in order to comprehend the object. Therefore, 揺ssence?belongs to the category of epistemology. Its significance lies in: 揹educe phenomena through essence?rather than 搃nduce essence through phenomena? Based on the new theoretical framework, new model on the essence of art can be set up. Art is in an open system which is in constant change.O 搕he theory of recurrence? 搕he theory of expression? 搕he structuralism? as different ideal types, form a net of family resemblance. The 搃nstitutional theory?centers on context. Under the guidance of two perspectives, the essence of art is in a state of constant generation. Viewing different theories of the art essence as ideal types means people have to shift their thinking method and treat the essence of art as a dynamic process of art creation on the stance of limited, relative rationality.