Joseph Margolis is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Philosophy at Temple University. His most recent book is Moral Philosophy after 9/11(2004).

"In search of the distinctively human as a key to understanding language, culture, history, agency, creativity and responsibility, Margolis rejects the oppositions that have shaped discourse about these central philosophical topics since the time of the pre-Socratics. Breathtaking in its panoramic sweep of the Western tradition, admirably informed about the ideological dimensions of classical and contemporary aesthetics, Margolis's rethinking of basic issues in the intersection between knowledge, imagination, and art in all its expressive manifestations is certain to spark vitally innovative discussions as it carries forward ongoing disputes in important new directions."—Dale Jacquette, University of Bern, Switzerland "Margolis is in the unique position of knowing both contemporary continental and analytical philosophy, and one of the great merits of this book is its creative bridging of the two. The Arts and the Definition of the Human is a signal work of very high accomplishment that crowns the career of a distinguished philosopher justly celebrated for his many substantial contributions to the philosophy of art and to many other philosophical domains."—Edward S. Casey, Stony Brook University

• Contents Prefacexxx PrologueThe Definition of the Human000 1Perceiving Paintings as Paintings I000 2Perceiving Paintings as Paintings II000 3"One and Only One Correct Interpretation"000 4Toward a Phenomenology of Painting and Literature000 5"Seeing-in," "Make-believe," Transfiguration": The Perception of Pictorial Representation000 EpilogueBeauty and Truth and the Passing of Transcendental Philosophy000 Notes000 Index000

Joseph Margolis is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Philosophy at Temple University. His most recent book is Moral Philosophy after 9/11(2004).

"In search of the distinctively human as a key to understanding language, culture, history, agency, creativity and responsibility, Margolis rejects the oppositions that have shaped discourse about these central philosophical topics since the time of the pre-Socratics. Breathtaking in its panoramic sweep of the Western tradition, admirably informed about the ideological dimensions of classical and contemporary aesthetics, Margolis's rethinking of basic issues in the intersection between knowledge, imagination, and art in all its expressive manifestations is certain to spark vitally innovative discussions as it carries forward ongoing disputes in important new directions."—Dale Jacquette, University of Bern, Switzerland "Margolis is in the unique position of knowing both contemporary continental and analytical philosophy, and one of the great merits of this book is its creative bridging of the two. The Arts and the Definition of the Human is a signal work of very high accomplishment that crowns the career of a distinguished philosopher justly celebrated for his many substantial contributions to the philosophy of art and to many other philosophical domains."—Edward S. Casey, Stony Brook University

• Contents Prefacexxx PrologueThe Definition of the Human000 1Perceiving Paintings as Paintings I000 2Perceiving Paintings as Paintings II000 3"One and Only One Correct Interpretation"000 4Toward a Phenomenology of Painting and Literature000 5"Seeing-in," "Make-believe," Transfiguration": The Perception of Pictorial Representation000 EpilogueBeauty and Truth and the Passing of Transcendental Philosophy000 Notes000 Index000

Joseph Margolis is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Philosophy at Temple University. His most recent book is Moral Philosophy after 9/11(2004).

"In search of the distinctively human as a key to understanding language, culture, history, agency, creativity and responsibility, Margolis rejects the oppositions that have shaped discourse about these central philosophical topics since the time of the pre-Socratics. Breathtaking in its panoramic sweep of the Western tradition, admirably informed about the ideological dimensions of classical and contemporary aesthetics, Margolis's rethinking of basic issues in the intersection between knowledge, imagination, and art in all its expressive manifestations is certain to spark vitally innovative discussions as it carries forward ongoing disputes in important new directions."—Dale Jacquette, University of Bern, Switzerland "Margolis is in the unique position of knowing both contemporary continental and analytical philosophy, and one of the great merits of this book is its creative bridging of the two. The Arts and the Definition of the Human is a signal work of very high accomplishment that crowns the career of a distinguished philosopher justly celebrated for his many substantial contributions to the philosophy of art and to many other philosophical domains."—Edward S. Casey, Stony Brook University

• Contents Prefacexxx PrologueThe Definition of the Human000 1Perceiving Paintings as Paintings I000 2Perceiving Paintings as Paintings II000 3"One and Only One Correct Interpretation"000 4Toward a Phenomenology of Painting and Literature000 5"Seeing-in," "Make-believe," Transfiguration": The Perception of Pictorial Representation000 EpilogueBeauty and Truth and the Passing of Transcendental Philosophy000 Notes000 Index000