Boston University
Department of Philosophy
PhD, 1985
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  •  16
    Pragmatism and the Fate of Philosophy
    Dialogue 23 (4): 683-686. 1984.
  •  15
    Music and the Representation of Emotion
    Frontiers of Philosophy in China 8 (2): 332-348. 2013.
  •  15
    Reality and Reason (review)
    Canadian Journal of Philosophy 17 (2): 491-500. 1987.
  •  14
    The Semantics of Aesthetic Judgements (edited book)
    Oxford University Press UK. 2017.
    Are aesthetic judgements simply expressions of personal preference? If two people disagree about the beauty of a painting are both judgements valid or can someone be mistaken about the aesthetic value of an artwork? This volume brings together some of the leading philosophers of art and language to debate the status of aesthetic judgements.
  •  14
    Batteux: The Fine Arts Reduced to a Single Principle
    Oxford University Press UK. 2015.
    The Fine Arts Reduced to a Single Principle by Charles Batteux was arguably the most influential work on aesthetics published in the eighteenth century. It influenced every major aesthetician in the second half of the century, and is the work generally credited with establishing the modern system of the arts: poetry, painting, music, sculpture and dance. Batteux's book is also an invaluable aid to the interpretation of the arts of eighteenth century. And yet there has never been a complete or re…Read more
  •  13
    This chapter contains section titled: Other Forms of Harm Cultural Appropriation and Harmful Misrepresentation Harm and Accurate Representation Cultural Appropriation and Economic Opportunity Cultural Appropriation and Assimilation Art, Insignia, and Cultural Identity Cultural Appropriation and Privacy.
  •  13
  •  12
    A History of Western Philosophy of Music
    Cambridge University Press. 2022.
    This book presents a comprehensive, accessible survey of Western philosophy of music from Pythagoras to the present. Its narrative traces themes and schools through history, in a sequence of five chapters that survey the ancient, medieval, early modern, modern and contemporary periods. Its wide-ranging coverage includes medieval Islamic thinkers, Continental and analytic thinkers, and neglected female thinkers such as Vernon Lee. All aspects of the philosophy of music are discussed, including mu…Read more
  •  12
    Literary Fiction and the Cultivation of Virtue
    Croatian Journal of Philosophy 19 (2): 315-330. 2019.
    Many philosophers have claimed that reading literary fiction makes people more virtuous. This essay begins by defending the view that this claim is empirical. It goes on to review the empirical literature and finds that this literature supports the claim philosophers have made. Three mechanisms are identified whereby reading literary fiction makes people more virtuous: empathy is increased when readers enter imaginatively into the lives of fictional characters; reading literary fiction promotes …Read more
  •  12
    Kant’s (Moderate) Musical Antiformalism: A Reply to Sousa
    Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 81 (3): 383-386. 2023.
    I thank Tiago Sousa for his thoughtful comments on Young (2020, 2021). I am grateful for the opportunity to revisit Kant’s thoughts on music, which I think I un.
  •  11
    Aesthetics (edited book)
    Routledge. 2005.
    This four volume set brings together both classic and contemporary writings to provide a comprehensive collection of the most important essays on the subject. All of the various artistic genres are addressed, with sections on film, dance and architecture as well as music, literature and the visual arts. With a new introduction by the editor to guide the reader through the volumes, this major new work will provide student and researcher alike with key writings on aesthetics in one convenient, uni…Read more
  •  11
    The problems and the keys to their solutions -- Ontology of artworks -- Copyright and its limits -- Token appropriation -- Pattern appropriation -- Appropriation of artistic elements.
  •  10
    This chapter contains section titled: Art, Culture, and Appropriation Types of Cultural Appropriation What is a Culture? Objections to Cultural Appropriation In Praise of Cultural Appropriation.
  •  9
    Jeanette Bicknell, Why Music Moves Us Reviewed by
    Philosophy in Review 29 (5): 316-317. 2009.
    Review of Why Music Moves Us by Jeanette Bicknell.
  •  7
    This chapter contains section titled: Harm by Theft Possible Owners of Artworks Cultures and Inheritance Lost and Abandoned Property Cultural Property and Traditional Law Collective Knowledge and Collective Property Ownership of Land and Ownership of Art Property and Value to a Culture Cultures and Intellectual Property Some Conclusions About Ownership and Appropriation The Rescue Argument.
  •  6
    Charles Batteux: The Fine Arts Reduced to a Single Principle (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2015.
    The Fine Arts Reduced to a Single Principle by Charles Batteux was arguably the most influential work on aesthetics published in the 18th century. James O. Young presents the first complete English translation of the work, with full annotations and a comprehensive introduction, which illuminate Batteux's continuing philosophical interest.
  •  6
    Philosophical Perspectives on Music
    Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 57 (1): 75-76. 1999.
  •  5
    This chapter contains section titled: The Aesthetic Handicap Thesis The Cultural Experience Argument Aesthetic Properties and Cultural Context Authenticity and Appropriation Authentic Appropriation Cultural Experience and Subject Appropriation Appropriation and the Authentic Expression of a Culture.
  •  5
    Authenticities: Philosophical Reflections on Musical Performance
    Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 54 (2): 198-200. 1995.
  •  4
    This chapter contains section titled: Harm, Offence, and Profound Offence Examples of Offensive Cultural Appropriation The Problem and the Key to its Solution Social Value and Offensive Art Freedom of Expression The Sacred and the Offensive Time and Place Restrictions Toleration of Offensive Art Reasonable and Unreasonable Offence.
  •  4
    Global Anti-Realism (review)
    Dialogue 40 (4): 814-815. 2001.
    Full disclosure: I am the author of a book with a title only typographically different from that of the one under review. The present book is avowedly hostile to global anti-realism while mine is a sustained defence of the position. My route to global anti-realism is discounted by page 4 of Cortens’s book. If my remarks sometimes have a critical tenor, no one should be surprised. Still, I found much to admire in this book. It contributes significantly to our understanding of global anti-realism.
  •  4
    Defining Art Responsibly
    British Journal of Aesthetics 37 (1): 57-65. 1997.
  •  3
    Feeling and Imagination: The Vibrant Flux of Our Existence (review)
    Review of Metaphysics 57 (1): 180-180. 2003.
    This book is an exploration of “affective attachment,” which Singer describes as “the part of affective life which is pertinent to the phenomenon of attachment.” Affective attachment includes sex, love, and compassion. It is difficult to summarize Singer’s views on this topic. Singer sees the book as a systematic exploration of affective attachment, “a single unfolding of speculative thought.” At the same time he allows that he finds “that our affective being is so mercurial that touching on it …Read more