Novels and Symphonies as Concrete Artifacts

Ned Markosian (University of Massachusetts Amherst)

23 June 2023, 16:00 (Lisbon Time – WET)

Faculdade de Letras de Lisboa

Sala Mattos Romão (Departamento de Filosofia)

Abstract: Most philosophers take works of art such as novels and symphonies to be abstract types that are discovered rather than created by the artists associated with them. Recently, a growing minority position has emerged, according to which these works of art are abstract artifacts – non-concrete, repeatable objects that are brought into existence by authors and composers. In this talk, I will defend a more radical proposal, according to which works of art like novels and symphonies are concrete artifacts – non-repeatable, physical objects or events that are created by writers and composers.