Morris Weitz

Morris Weitz was an American philosopher of art who taught at Ohio State University and Brandeis University. In 'The Role of Theory in Aesthetics' he applied Wittgenstein's idea of family resemblance directly to art, arguing that 'art' is an open concept that cannot be defined by necessary and sufficient conditions. The essay set the terms for later debates about the definition of art.

Key ideas

• Traditional theories of art fail as real definitions, because every proposed essence leaves out some art or includes non-art.
• 'Art' is an open concept: its application is governed by family resemblances, and new cases call for decisions to extend it.
• The creativity of art makes a closed definition impossible in principle, not just difficult.
• Failed theories still have value as recommendations about which features of art deserve attention.

Major works

• The Role of Theory in Aesthetics (1956)
• Hamlet and the Philosophy of Literary Criticism (1964)

In the conversation

• Reading group Reading group: Weitz, Danto and Dickie on whether art can be defined Keisha Monroe · 4 replies