Bodybuilding as Muscular Art: A Study in Definitions of Art

Abstract

This thesis is devoted to two tasks. The first is to discover the best manner in which to define art. To this end, I examine the three theories currently considered to be the most viable - the institutional, historical/intentional, and functionalist approaches to defining art. The second task is to examine the place of bodybuilding in art. As I apply the definitions to the case of bodybuilders' bodies, I find that each would include at least some bodybuilders in the corpus of art. The first chapter introduces the sport/art of bodybuilding to the reader. Chapters Two and Three are largely negative in nature; I work to discredit the Institutional definition of art as well as various theories with an historical/intentional focus. I find against these approaches for similar reasons: they rely on a common ability to recognise art and are either harmfully circular or attempt to escape circularity by unacceptable means. The remaining three chapters have a more positive character. To begin my own account of art I argue that 'art' is a functionally based concept with social elements, with the functional aspect taking definitional precedence. I then examine various functionalist accounts before settling on the one I consider to be the most tenable. This requires works of art to have as one of their primary functions the artistic one, which involves the intentional production of an artistically valuable object or event by an agent. Generally a work's artistic value is a function of its aesthetic value, which is apparent when an item's formal features and their internal relation are appreciated for their own sakes. I explain exceptions to this pattern in an extended analogy between art and language. I then demonstrate how my approach is able to deal with the difficult cases encountered in the preceding chapters. Lastly, I devote a chapter to demonstrating the acceptability of bodybuilding as muscular art.