02789nam a2200349Ia 4500 9780203072462 BD-DhSAU 20151012151719.0 a|||||s||||||||||| cr|||| 130109s2013 enka sb 001 0 eng d 9780203072462 (e-book : PDF) BD-DhSAU BD-DhSAU N7480 .V48 2013 707.22 V565 Verstegen, Ian. A realist theory of art history [electronic resource] / Ian Verstegen. Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge, 2013. xix, 168 p. : ill. Ontological explorations Includes bibliographical references (p. [146]-164) and index. 1. Introduction -- 2. What is realism? -- 3. A relational approach to history and truth -- 4. Structure and knowledge -- 5. Art history and varieties of history, I -- 6. Art history and varieties of history, II -- 7. Historical evidence -- 8. Resolving historical controversies. "As the theoretical alignments within academia shift, this book introduces a surprising variety of realism to abolish the old positivist-theory dichotomy that has haunted Art History. Demanding frankly the referential detachment of the objects under study, the book proposes a stratified, multi-causal account of art history that addresses postmodern concerns while saving it from its errors of self-refutation. Building from the very basic distinction between intransitive being and transitive knowing, objects can be affirmed as real while our knowledge of them is held to be fallible. Several focused chapters address basic problems while introducing philosophical reflection into art history. These include basic ontological distinctions - society and culture, general and 'special' history, the discontinuity of cultural objects, the importance of definition for special history, scales, facets and fiat objects as forms of historical structure, the nature of evidence and proof, historical truth and controversies. Stressing critical realism as the stratified, multi-causal approach needed for productive research today in the academy, this book creates the subject of the ontology of art history and sets aside a theoretical space for metaphysical reflection, thus clarifying the usually muddy distinction between theory, methodology and historiography in art history"-- Provided by publisher. Also available in print edition. Mode of access: World Wide Web. Art Historiography. Art Philosophy. Electronic books. lcsh 9780415531511 (hardback) Ontological explorations. http://www.tandfebooks.com/isbn/9780203072462 12587 12586