The Art Instinct

Beauty, Pleasure and Human Evolution

Denis Dutton (The University of Canterbury, New Zealand)

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Hardback

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English

Oxford University Press
05 April 2009

Art & Architecture; Theory of art; Philosophy: aesthetics; Anthropology; Psychology; Popular science; Evolution

The Dinka have a connoisseur's appreciation of the patterns and colours of the markings on their cattle. The Japanese tea ceremony is regarded as a performance art. Some cultures produce carving but no drawing; others specialize in poetry. Yet despite the rich variety of artistic expression to be found across many cultures, we all share a deep sense of aesthetic pleasure. The need to create art of some form is found in every human society.

In The Art Instinct, Denis Dutton explores the idea that this need has an evolutionary basis: how the feelings that we all share when we see a wonderful landscape or a beautiful sunset evolved as a useful adaptation in our hunter-gather ancestors, and have been passed on to us today, manifest in our artistic natures. Why do people indulge in displaying their artistic skills? How can we understand artistic genius? Why do we value art, and what is it for? These questions have long been asked by scholars in the humanities and in literature, but this is the first book to consider the biological basis of this deep human need.

This sparking and intelligent book looks at these deep and fundamental questions, and combines the science of evolutionary psychology with aesthetics, to shed new light on longstanding questions about the nature of art.

By: Denis Dutton (The University of Canterbury New Zealand)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 242mm, Width: 160mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 578g
ISBN: 9780199539420
ISBN 10: 0199539421
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 05 April 2009
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1. But they don't have our concept of art 2. Aesthetic perception: Pot People and Basket Folk 3. A naturalist definition of art 4. Art and human nature 5. Landscape and longing 6. Art and evolution: natural selection 7. Art and evolution: sexual selection 8. Art and authenticity 9. Genius and innovation 10. The reality of beauty