Art and Selfhood: A Kierkegaardian Account

Product description Review I found the book thought-provoking on many occasions, and believe it could be of help to those who are interested in thinking about Kierkegaard and authenticity.According to Aumann (Northern Michigan Univ.), Søren Kierkegaard held that art has the power to instruct in self-formulation. This view shares features with the "cognitive value of art," according to which art is argued to have the capacity to put forward propositions and generate knowledge. In the early chapters of Art and Selfhood, Aumann canvases four models of selfhood, each of which has been thought to be a good framework for self-creation: the inner sense, constitution, religious, and dialogical models. Each of these ways of self-creation has textual evidence from Kierkegaard's works to recommend it, but each also has textual evidence running counter to it. Ultimately, Aumann finds that art's value in constructing a self is the most valuable model, in that it teaches one about the world and about oneself. Aumann does a good job of laying out the various ways one might go about putting together all the elements for a healthy self. Though some familiarity with Continental philosophers would be helpful, it is not a necessity; the author presents his ideas clearly and thoughtfully. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-and upper-division undergraduates; graduate students; general readers.Antony Aumann's Art and Selfhood strikes a remarkable balance between philosophical ambition and communicative clarity. Seeking nothing less than an account of how it is possible for art to be an integral part of our self-understanding and self-constitution, Aumann draws on his deep knowledge of Kierkegaard and his intellectual context, contemporary philosophy, and art from the Renaissance to our own time, to argue with remarkable lucidity and humane wisdom. Unafraid both to walk with Kierkegaard and to challenge him, Art and Selfhood cement's Aumann's place as a leading voice of Kierkegaardian thought.This excellent book not only advances our understanding of art and selfhood as viewed from an existential standpoint: it also offers an appreciative and insightful reading of both the 'how' and the 'what' of Kierkegaard's literary artistry.This innovative, clearly argued work shows that an interpersonal conception of authentic self-definition can be defended on Kierkegaardian grounds -- including the edifying potential of artworks and obligations on artists to care about the wellbeing of their audiences. Aumann brings Kierkegaardian themes to life without relying solely on a religious framework.This is a wonderfully clear and carefully argued book in which Aumann draws creatively on Kierkegaard's work to show the relevance of art to the development of authentic selfhood. About the Author Antony Aumann is associate professor of philosophy at Northern Michigan University.