This lecture examines criticism as an intellectual discipline and as part of the practice of everyday life. How does that sense of value align with or diverge from our ethical principles, political commitments and economic interests? What does it mean to think of art as a necessity, a luxury or a distraction from more important matters? Can criticism offer any help in thinking about such matters?
About the speaker
A.O. Scott is author of Better Living Through Criticism: How to Think About Art, Pleasure, Beauty and Truth, Penguin 2016