Idealistic Studies

Volume 39, Issue 1/3, Spring/Summer/Fall 2009

The Autonomy of Art in Heidegger and Schopenhauer

Many recent discussions of aesthetics have suggested that a genuine dialogue between philosophy and art is impossible. This essay aims to counter such claims by arguing that philosophical thinking about art need not be either dismissive or domineering. The authors argue that a model for a productive dialogue between philosophy and art can be found by means of a comparative reading of two seemingly very different philosophies of art: those of Schopenhauer and Heidegger. The overall philosophical positions of these two thinkers are often at odds with each other. However, a careful examination of their views of art reveals a fundamental connection between art and truth, a connection that makes artworks indispensable counterparts for philosophical thinking, without at the same time undermining their autonomy.