Philosophy of Art and Music: What Do They Reveal About Being Human?

(Session in English) Art, Music and Existence: What Do They Reveal About Being Human? Why do human beings create art? Why can music move us so deeply, even without words? And can beauty, creativity, and aesthetic experience reveal something fundamental about what it means to be human? In this session, we will explore the philosophy of art and music through an existential lens, drawing on thinkers such as Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, and Camus. We will consider whether art is an escape from reality, an affirmation of life, a revelation of existence, or a rebellion against meaninglessness. I will give a short introduction (15 minutes) of the topic. Through discussion and debate, we will explore questions of beauty, suffering, freedom, meaning, mortality, individuality, and the human need to create. Some example questions we will use for the discussion and debate: -Schopenhauer gives music a special status because it seems to express emotion without needing to represent anything specific. Can music communicate something that words cannot? -Is beauty evidence that life has meaning, or can something be beautiful even in a meaningless universe? -Is art an escape from existence, an affirmation of existence, a revelation of existence, or a rebellion against existence? -Why do people sometimes enjoy losing themselves in music, concerts, dance or crowds? Is losing your individuality liberating or dangerous? -Why can music affect us so deeply even when we don't understand what it is “about”? -Is there a difference between enjoying art and living aesthetically? Can someone deeply appreciate beauty without making pleasure the centre of their life?