This 6-8 Page Essay Assignment Will Be Completed In Three Pa

This 6 8 Page Essay Assignment Will Be Completed In Three Parts

This 6-8 page essay assignment will be completed in three parts. You may want to use section headers to organize your paper. Remember to explain the theories you reference with supporting citations to the textbook and online lectures in correct APA format. Here is a guide to help you with APA-style citations. Use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources.

Paper For Above instruction

The assignment involves a comprehensive philosophical exploration of the concept of the self, its representation through art, and the relationship between art and philosophy. It is divided into four parts: the self, art as mimesis, art as transformation, and art in relation to philosophy. The essay should be between six to eight pages, carefully organized with section headers, and supported by citations in APA format from textbooks and online lectures.

Part I: The Self

Begin by discussing the "avocado" idea of the self, which posits that human beings have a shared essential nature. This could involve examining theories such as Cartesian rationalism, which emphasizes reason as the core of human identity, or Greek philosophical ideas that underscore rational soul or divine essence. Contrast this with the "artichoke" idea of the self, rooted in existentialist thought, which emphasizes individual existence, subjective experience, and the fluid, non-essential nature of identity. Discuss how the modern/avocado notion of a shared human essence differs from the postmodern/artichoke perspective that emphasizes multiplicity, fluidity, and the constructed nature of the self. Use insights from your Week 2 assignments to develop these accounts, integrating supporting citations.

Part II: The Avocado Self and Art as Representation

Next, explain the concept of art as mimesis—drawing primarily on Plato and/or Aristotle. Discuss how this perspective reflects the avocado idea of the self, suggesting that art imitates an essential, unchanging reality and embodies shared human nature. Identify a specific character, narrator, or subject within a work of art—such as a novel, film, poem, or painting—that exemplifies this view. Analyze how this character or subject embodies the idea that art reflects universal truths about human nature and reality.

Part III: The Artichoke Self and Art as Transformation

Then, explore the idea that art is transformative, expressing the unity of subject and object, as articulated by Nietzsche, Schelling, or Heidegger. Explain how this perspective aligns with the artichoke view of the self as fluid, constructed, and capable of self-transformation through artistic creation. Identify a character or subject in a work of art that captures the postmodern or artichoke idea—symbolizing that art does not depict a fixed reality but creates new truths and realities. Discuss how this reflects the notion that art is a vehicle for personal and existential transformation, producing new understandings of self and reality.

Part IV: Art and Philosophy

Finally, reflect on the broader relationship between art and philosophy. Consider whether the self and the material world are distinct entities, as Descartes suggests, perhaps illustrated by artworks that depict dualism. Alternatively, examine Schelling’s view of the self and world as organic unities and how artistic creation can express this interconnectedness. Debate whether art primarily functions as mimesis—representation—or as a transformative force that alters perception and understanding. Discuss Aristotle’s notion of catharsis and how some art strives to purify or elevate human experience. Evaluate the contrasting views: is art a mirror of a pre-existing reality, or is it an active process of creating new truths? Consider whether some art forms, such as music, might express truth more fully than others, and how cultural contexts shape the purpose and interpretation of art. Conclude by reflecting on whether you align more with Descartes’ rational certainty or with thinkers like Keats, Schelling, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, or Heidegger, who emphasize art as the path to truth beyond rationalism and empiricism. Discuss how these perspectives challenge or complement phenomenology’s emphasis on lived experience.

References

• Aristotle. (2009). Poetics (M. Heath, Trans.). Oxford University Press.
• Descartes, R. (1998). Meditations on First Philosophy (J. Cottingham, Trans.). Cambridge University Press.
• Nietzsche, F. (2006). On the Genealogy of Morality (C. Small, Trans.). Hackett Publishing.
• Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and Time (J. Macquarrie & E. Robinson, Trans.). Harper & Row.
• Schelling, F. W. J. (1978). Philosophy and Religion (K. Hausdoerffer & M. Gilman, Trans.). State University of New York Press.
• Plato. (2000). The Republic (G. M. A. Grube, Trans.). Hackett Publishing.
• Aristotle. (2014). Nicomachean Ethics. (R. Crisp, Trans.). Cambridge University Press.
• Keats, J. (2012). Poems. Cambridge University Press.
• Schopenhauer, A. (2012). The World as Will and Representation (E. F. J. Payne, Trans.). Dover Publications.
• Heidegger, M. (2010). Introduction to Metaphysics (R. D. Pollard, Trans.). Yale University Press.