Kant on Genius: The Critique of Judgment

Summary

In this video, philosophy professor Ellie Anderson delves into Immanuel Kant's Theory of Genius from his 'Critique of Judgment'. Kant posits that genius is an innate talent that dictates the rules of art, not something that can be taught or learned. Anderson highlights Kant's view that genius is original, exemplary, natural, and artistic, with the ability to inspire without being imitable. The video also touches on the critique of Kant's perspective, particularly his exclusion of women as potential geniuses, and invites viewers to explore more through the Overthink podcast.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Kant's Critique of Judgment introduces his Theory of Genius, which is further explored in the Overthink podcast.
• 🌟 Genius, according to Kant, is an innate talent that gives the rule to art, something one is born with or without.
• 💡 Kant views talent as a natural endowment, suggesting that genius is not developed but is a birthright.
• 🎨 Genius is characterized by originality; it produces works that defy established rules and sets new standards in art.
• 📘 The works of a genius serve as an exemplar, providing a model or standard for other artists to aspire to, but not to replicate.
• 🤔 Kant's theory posits that geniuses themselves cannot fully articulate the creative process or how their ideas come to be.
• 🌱 Genius is seen as natural, with the creative process akin to being inspired or taken over by a force beyond conscious control.
• 🚫 Kant believed that genius is exclusive to the arts and does not extend to scientific or intellectual pursuits.
• 🚀 The genius's work is meant to inspire originality in others, not to be imitated, reflecting the freedom inherent in art.
• 👩‍🎨 Kant's view has been criticized, notably for his belief that women could not be geniuses, a topic discussed in the Overthink podcast.
• 🏆 For Kant, genius is essential for the creation of beautiful art, implying a clear distinction between the observer and the creator.

Q & A

What is the main subject of the video script?

The main subject of the video script is Immanuel Kant's Theory of Genius as presented in his 'Critique of Judgment'.

Who is Ellie Anderson and what is her role in the video script?

Ellie Anderson is a philosophy professor and co-host of the Overthink podcast. She shares ideas from Kant's Theory of Genius in the video script.

According to Kant, what is the definition of genius?

For Kant, genius is the innate talent that gives the rule to art. It is a natural endowment that one either has or doesn't have.

What is the difference between the two definitions of genius provided by Kant in the script?

The first definition focuses on genius as a talent that gives the rule to art, while the second definition emphasizes genius as the talent through which nature gives the rule to art, highlighting the role of nature in the creative process.

How does Kant's view of genius relate to the concept of the muses in ancient Greek mythology?

Kant's view of genius is similar to the ancient notion of the muses, where the muse overtakes the artist, suggesting that genius is a vehicle through which great work is created rather than the result of sheer willpower.

Why does Kant believe that fine art cannot give rules for producing art?

Kant believes that fine art cannot give rules for producing art because it is not formulaic; there can't be a set of rules to follow to create a beautiful work of art.

What is the role of genius in Kant's philosophy of art?

In Kant's philosophy of art, genius has a crucial role as it is the source that gives the rule to art itself, making fine art possible.

What critique does the script mention regarding Kant's view on genius?

The script mentions that Kant's view has been critiqued for suggesting that only certain people, specifically not women, can be geniuses.

What are the properties of genius that Kant identifies in the script?

Kant identifies several properties of genius: originality, exemplarity, naturalness, and artistic nature. Geniuses are original in producing what no definite rule can give, they serve as exemplars for other works of art, they are natural in the sense that they cannot explain the creative process, and they are artistic, meaning that genius is specific to the arts.

Why does Kant believe that genius cannot be taught or learned?

Kant believes that genius cannot be taught or learned because it is an innate talent that one either possesses or not. The creative process of a genius is not something that can be imitated or taught, as it is a unique and natural expression.

What is the relationship between genius and the production of beautiful art according to Kant?

According to Kant, genius is necessary to produce a beautiful work of art. All works of art that are beautiful are the products of genius, which demonstrates freedom in art and provides a new rule or standard for estimating art.

How does Kant differentiate between the observer or critic of art and the genius or creator of art?

Kant implies a strong separation between the observer or critic of art and the genius or creator. While good taste can estimate and judge beautiful art, it cannot produce it. The genius, on the other hand, is the one who creates the art, and even a good critic is not necessarily a genius.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Kant's Concept of Genius in Art

Ellie Anderson introduces Immanuel Kant's theory of genius from his 'Critique of Judgment'. She explains that Kant views genius as an innate talent that dictates the rules of art, something one is born with rather than developed. Geniuses are seen as vehicles for the creation of great art, not merely creators through sheer willpower. The video discusses Kant's definitions of genius, its role in art, and the critique of his views, including his exclusion of women as potential geniuses. The summary also touches on the properties of genius, such as originality and being an exemplar for others, and the distinction between the natural talent of an artist and the learned skills of a scientist.

05:02

🌟 The Nature and Limitations of Genius

This paragraph delves deeper into Kant's perspective on the nature of genius, emphasizing its mysterious and uncontrollable aspects. Geniuses, according to Kant, cannot explain the process of their creativity, as it seems to be a natural force that takes over. This innate talent is what allows them to create art that cannot be methodically reproduced or taught. The paragraph also addresses the idea that genius is exclusive to the arts, as opposed to science, which can be learned and imitated. Kant argues that the genius's work is exemplary, inspiring others to originality, not by copying but by demonstrating the freedom in art. Furthermore, it discusses how genius is essential for the creation of beautiful art and how it can transform the ugly into the beautiful, reflecting the genius's ability to inspire without direct teaching.

10:03

👀 The Dichotomy Between Critic and Creator

The final paragraph of the script highlights the separation Kant establishes between the observer or critic of art and the genius or creator. It reiterates that genius is defined by Kant as the 'exemplary originality of the natural endowments' in the free use of cognitive faculties. The paragraph suggests that while critics may have good taste and judgment, they are not necessarily geniuses themselves. It also implies that the genius's role in creating art is fundamentally different from the critic's role in evaluating it. The summary invites viewers to explore more about Kant's ideas on genius through additional resources like the Overthink podcast and the channel hosting the video.

Keywords

💡Genius

In the context of the video, 'genius' refers to a natural endowment or innate talent that gives the rule to art, as per Immanuel Kant's philosophy. It is not something that can be developed but is either present or absent at birth. The concept is central to the video's theme, illustrating the idea that genius is a conduit through which nature imparts artistic rules, as seen in the script's discussion of Kant's Critique of Judgment.

💡Talent

Talent, as mentioned in the script, is an innate, productive faculty or mental aptitude that one is born with. It is closely tied to the concept of genius, suggesting that a genius's talent is what enables them to create art that sets the standard for others. The script uses the term to emphasize that talent is a natural gift, not something that can be taught or learned.

💡Critique of Judgment

This refers to the third critique by Immanuel Kant, where he develops his Theory of Genius. The video discusses this work to explain Kant's views on the nature of genius and its role in art. The Critique of Judgment is a philosophical text that explores aesthetic judgments and the concept of taste, which is relevant to the video's exploration of artistic creation.

💡Originality

Originality in the script is described as a key property of genius, indicating the ability to produce work that no definite rule can provide. It is related to the theme of the video by illustrating how a genius creates art that is both unique and sets a new standard, as exemplified by artists like Picasso who broke traditional rules to create mature works.

💡Exemplar

An 'exemplar' in the video is a work of genius that provides a model or standard for estimating art. It is a piece that, while original, also serves as a guide for what constitutes good art. The script explains that such works are not to be copied but rather inspire others to create original works in their own right.

💡Nature

In the video, 'nature' is presented as a force that gives the rule to art through the genius. It is depicted as an external influence that guides the creative process, rather than the genius having complete control or understanding of their own creativity. The script uses the term to highlight the mysterious and uncontrollable aspects of artistic inspiration.

💡Fine Art

Fine art, as discussed in the script, is a product of genius according to Kant. It is art that cannot be methodically produced by following a set of rules but emerges from the creative expression of a genius. The term is integral to the video's message, showing that true art is a result of natural talent and inspiration, not mere technical skill.

💡Imitation

Imitation is presented in the script as the antithesis of genius in art. While science can be learned through imitation, according to Kant, genius in art cannot be taught or acquired by copying another's work. The script uses this term to emphasize the unique, non-imitable nature of artistic genius.

💡Freedom

Freedom is a central concept in the video, related to the way a genius expresses themselves in art. It is the idea that the genius, by giving the rule to art, demonstrates a radical form of personal and creative liberty. The script suggests that this freedom is inspiring and can influence others, even though it cannot be directly taught.

💡Aesthetic Ideas

Although not explicitly detailed in the script, 'aesthetic ideas' are mentioned as a component of Kant's theory of genius. These ideas refer to the creative concepts that arise from the genius's interaction with nature, contributing to the originality and beauty of their art. The term is relevant to understanding the video's exploration of artistic inspiration and creation.

💡Taste

Taste, in the script, is the faculty that estimates or judges beautiful art, distinct from the genius that produces it. The video uses this term to illustrate the separation between the creator and the observer of art, suggesting that while good taste can appreciate art, it does not necessarily create it.

Highlights

Kant's Theory of Genius from the Critique of Judgment is discussed by philosophy professor Ellie Anderson.

Genius is defined as an innate talent that gives the rule to art, according to Kant.

Talent is considered by Kant as a natural endowment, something one is born with or without.

Kant's view on genius has been influential in philosophy since the late 18th century.

Genius is seen as a vehicle through which nature gives the rule to art, rather than a creator with sheer willpower.

Fine art cannot provide rules for producing art, but requires a rule to deem something as art.

Kant argues that fine art is only possible as a product of genius.

Kant's view has been criticized, including his belief that women cannot be geniuses.

Properties of genius include originality, with the ability to produce without definite rules.

A work of genius serves as an exemplar, providing a model or standard for estimating art.

Genius is described as natural, with the creator unable to scientifically explain the creation process.

Kant asserts that genius cannot be taught or learned through imitation.

Genius is artistic and specific to art, with no scientific genius according to Kant.

Science is considered learnable and imitative, unlike the innate talent of art.

The product of genius should inspire originality in others, not be imitated.

Kant believes that all beautiful works of art are the products of genius.

Taste estimates beautiful art, while genius produces it, indicating a separation between critic and creator.

Kant describes genius as 'the exemplary originality of the natural endowments in the free employment of cognitive faculties.'

Transcripts

I'm philosophy professor and co-host of Overthink podcast, Ellie Anderson,

here to share some ideas from K's Theory of Genius, which he develops in his third

critique, the Critique of Judgment.

If you want more on this, especially in an audio format, we have an episode

of Overthink on Genius, where we talk about Kant's view and the view of

others, including critiques of it.

That podcast is also where I get to share more of my opinions on the topic, whereas

this is an introductory video presenting Kant's ideas.

For Kant, genius is the talent, he says, that gives the rule to art.

By talent, Kant means a natural endowment, something that you either have or don't.

Talent, he says is innate. It is an innate, productive faculty or mental aptitude.

For Kant, talent is given by nature.

And so genius is not something that you can develop.

It's either something that you're born with or you're not.

Now, you can already see how this view of genius is very similar

to the one that we have today.

In fact, Kant's view has been hugely influential for subsequent

philosophy after the time that he's writing it in the late 18th century.

Now, his second definition of genius beyond the first that I

started with that genius is the talent that gives the rule to art.

Kant also says in the third critique that another way of thinking about genius is

as the innate mental aptitude through which nature gives the rule to art.

So the difference between the first two definitions is that the first

is talking about genius as a talent that gives the rule to art.

Whereas the second definition is defining genius as the talent through

which nature gives the rule to art.

So there's a greater role there that is being given to nature. Either way,

and especially in the second definition, there's a sense that the genius

is not something who has the sheer willpower to create a great work, but

rather is the vehicle or vessel through which great work is being created.

And you can think, for instance, about that ancient notion of the muses,

the muse as something that overtakes you.

It's kind of similar really to what Kant is thinking about here as genius.

For Kant, one of the funny things about fine art is that it can't give rules

for producing art, right?

Like I can't say here are the rules you should follow in order

to create a beautiful work of art.

But there has to be a rule that deems that something is art.

And fine art, Kant says, is actually only possible as a product of

genius because genius is what gives the rule to art itself.

So the genius has a really crucial role to play in his philosophy of art.

This, as you can imagine has, has been the site of some critiques.

Kant thinks that only certain people can be geniuses.

He actually doesn't think that women can be geniuses.

This is something that we talk about in the podcast episode, so I'd recommend

checking that out if you're interested in hearing more, especially about

the critiques of this view of genius.

But in Kant's view, back to the sort of description of it, he says that there

are a number of properties of the genius.

The first is that the genius is original.

They have a talent for producing what no definite rule can give.

Think about the fact that many artists pride themselves on never having been to

art school, never gone through rigorous training, or even those that have,

for example, Picasso, who was deeply schooled in traditional

modes of painting and drawing, had to throw away the rule book

when creating his mature works, which we might call works of genius.

And so genius is this talent for being able to throw the rule book away and

create a new rule. Once this has been done,

another property of genius, which Kant identifies, is that the genius is an

exemplar, which means that a work of genius provides a model for other works,

it provides a standard or a rule for estimating art.

That is, not everything that is original is good. There can be original works of nonsense as well.

And so what the genius does is create an original work that has, like I said, sort

of thrown the rule book away or played on it in a unique, original, and novel way,

but done so in an exemplary fashion.

This doesn't mean that other beautiful works of art can be created by just copying

the genius' work, but it is exemplary in the sense that it

is creating a new rule, providing a model to others.

But a model in the sense that other works should be judged in comparison

to it, rather than, oh, an artist can just copy this exact thing that Picasso is

doing and then also have a beautiful work.

An additional property of genius that Kant talks about is that genius is natural.

The genius, I think this is a really interesting part of Kant's theory,

cannot actually scientifically say how it created the work of art.

If I ask an artist, well, what were you thinking when you

created this amazing work?

You know, they, they'll have some things to say about it, presumably,

but those things aren't going to encapsulate what is beautiful about

the work of art and why the work of art is as incredible as it is.

Genius gives the rule to art, Kant says, as nature.

So recall that idea that I mentioned earlier, that genius in one of

Kant's definitions, is that through which nature gives the rule to art.

So this, again, this idea that the, that genius gives the rule to art as

nature, I think is more or less the idea that nature is working through

the genius rather than, uh, the genius having a full mastery or sense of what

they're doing when they're doing it.

You see so many creators say time and time again that when they're in the

midst of, of a creative process, it's almost as if their self gets out of

the way and something else takes over.

There is a momentum of its own that emerges when people

are creating these works.

Kant says that the genius in this vein does not know how the ideas

for a work enter into their head.

They can put themselves in the way of inspiration, but ultimately,

true inspiration is something that takes you over.

That is that inspiration from within, to use the Latin origin of inspire.

This also means that the genius cannot create a work at will, methodically.

I think about this when I'm thinking about the, the paralysis that artists

sometimes feel say in trying to come up with a concept for a second album because

they know that they can't just recreate what they have done in their first

album, or even if they're not recreating it, they can't just use that as an

exact model that they want to reproduce.

And a fourth property of genius as Kant defines it, is that geniuses are artistic.

For Kant there are only artistic geniuses.

Einstein would not be considered a genius according to Kant's view

because you can't, according to him, have a scientific genius.

Science can be learned whereas art cannot.

And so this innate talent that one has or doesn't have for giving

the rule to art is something that is specific to art for Kant.

Let's dive into this a little bit more deeply, because it's very odd at first and

you know, you don't have to agree with it.

But, here are Kant's reasons for saying this.

So, in saying that science can be learned, Kant is suggesting that

science involves imitation because learning for him is imitative.

I learn by being taught by other people, by imitating their

ways of doing things, right?

Like, I'm gonna imitate the scientific method, or I'm gonna get

a sense from my teachers of what a proper experiment might look like.

But the genius cannot teach genius, nor can the student become a

genius by imitating genius because the genius themselves does not

know how their ideas come about.

So to have a genius as a teacher is not gonna be very helpful on K's view because

the genius's work can provide exemplars certainly, but that exemplar is not going

to be a model that you can just copy.

Nor is it going to be something that the genius can fully explain in a

satisfying way because again, they've been overtaken by nature as

they're producing their work of art.

Thus, the product of genius should not be imitated, but it can inspire

another genius to a sense of their own originality because the work of

the genius, and this goes back to the idea that it's exemplary, demonstrates

freedom in art. By giving the rule to art,

the genius is engaged in a radical expression of their own freedom.

And this can be inspiring for other people, even though the other,

and this can be inspiring for other geniuses, even though one genius isn't

strictly speaking, teaching another genius.

For Kant, genius is necessary in order to produce a beautiful work of art.

So all works of art that are beautiful according to Kant,

are the products of genius.

Geniuses can make something beautiful that in nature is ugly.

So think about any movies or albums or novels or paintings or what have you,

that takes something that is ugly in life, but transpose it into this domain

of art such that it becomes beautiful.

That for Kant, that the successful accomplishment of that is

indicative of genius.

Taste estimates beautiful art.

It judges beautiful art and genius produces it.

Good taste cannot itself produce art.

And so you can also see here that Kant is implying a strong separation between

the observer of art or the critic of art, and the genius or the creator of art,

even a really good critic is not necessarily going to be a genius.

Kant states that the genius is, "the exemplary originality of the natural endowments

of an individual in the free employment of his cognitive faculties."

There's lots more to say about the genius here.

For instance, we haven't talked about, aesthetic ideas, which is a component

of it or this idea of a definite concept of the product, which is also

characteristic of the genius, imagination...

there's so much more to say here, but hopefully this has provided an invitation

to, uh, but hopefully this has provided an invitation and an introduction to

some of K's key ideas about the genius.

Check out our channel and overthink podcast if you want more.