Thesis Outline

I.

Introduction
A. In his article, Photography and Representation, Roger Scruton argued that it is
not possible for photographs to be representational art. (Although Scruton never
claims this, it is implied that for x to be a genuine art form it must be
representational). For a photograph to be a work of art, we must be aesthetically
interested in the photograph qua photograph. This is only possible if we treat
photographs as representational art, but, Scruton argues, the medium of
photography is inherently incapable of doing so.
B. Best response to Scruton by Lopes: The Aesthetics of Photographic
Transparency. Lopes provides a clear formulation of Scrutons argument and sets
out an even more strengthened version of Scrutons version to prove that even the
strengthened position can be defeated.
C. I want to argue that even Lopess strengthened skeptical position does not go far
enough to refute Scrutons skepticism. My thesis is that there is a deeper
challenge that needs to be addressed. This challenge is divided into two tasks. The
first task is to establish that the only true definitive features of a photograph
emerge from its causal, mechanical nature. The second task is to establish that

II.

these features are appropriate for aesthetic interest.

What is the skeptical challenge according to Lopes?
A skeptic of photography claims that seeing a photograph as a photograph does not
engage aesthetic interest. The skeptic concedes that there exists a widespread
aesthetic appreciation of photographs, but the skeptic will argue that the appreciation
is misguided because photographs are not appreciated qua photographs; it is an
appreciation of ancillary features of photographs, features that many photographs
have, but are not essential to a photograph.

A. Equivalence Thesis
i.
The equivalence thesis is supposed by two separate arguments. The object
argument and the style argument. (Critics have defeated the style
argument).
The object argument claims that the photograph qua photograph cannot be
object of aesthetic interest. Our interest in a photograph is only an interest
ii.

in the subject.
Transparency Thesis
A much stronger argument, originated by Kendall Walton, for the
equivalence thesis which states when one looks a photograph one literally
sees the photographed object.

If the transparency thesis is true, then the equivalence thesis is true, This is the
strongest skeptical challenge.
III.

IV.

The real challenge for an aesthetics of photography.

Overcome the notion that the causal feature of photography cannot be regarded as a
virtue.
How can this challenge be met?

This challenge is divided into two tasks. The first task is to establish that the only true
definitive features of a photograph emerge from its causal, mechanical nature. The second
task is to establish that these features are appropriate for aesthetic interest.
An adequate response to the skeptic is to show that is possible to have an aesthetic interest in
photographs solely in virtue of their causal feature.