1. Explain why R.G. Collingwood believes that the work of art is an imaginary object and not a physical object. If the Mona Lisa were to be stolen from the Lourve, many art lovers would be very upset. Somebody might point to this and argue that if the work of art were not a physical object, why would art lovers get so upset over the painting being stolen? Surely, she might argue, this would show that art objects are actually physical objects. Can Collingwood successfully defend his view against this argument? Explain why or why not.
2. Consider Sartre’s story of the woman who is going out with a man for the first time. What attitude is she taking towards the man’s words? What attitude is she taking towards his actions? How do these attitudes cause her to be in bad faith?
3. Explain how ThichNhat Hanh uses the example of a piece of paper to explain his views about no birth and no death. Thich’s views might explain what happens to our bodies after we die, but does it explain what happens to our minds after we die? Explain why or why not.
4. In the art world, it sometimes happens (as with the case of the paintings of Han van Meegeren) that forged art works are not discovered to be forgeries until decades after they were first created. Why does Dennis Dutton believe that even if the physical qualities of the art work remain the same after it is discovered to be a forgery, the art critic is still justified in believing that the discovery of the forgery lowers the artistic value of the work?
5. How does the Look of the Other cause me to become alienated, according to Jean-Paul Sartre? How is the project of romantic love supposed to be an attempt to overcome such alienation? Explain one problem that Sartre sees with this project.