Creation and the Function of Art

There are flashes of brilliance in some of the connections Tuckwell makes with diverse areas of inquiry. Evolutionary theories may, indeed, offer a useful perspective on Aristotle’s sense of nature and efficient causality. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
This is one of the first and most systematic reevaluations of Aristotle’s concept of techné in relation to aesthetic theory, but especially in its incorporation of new technical philosophy inspired by the writings of Simondon. It will make an invaluable contribution to both the history of the philosophical literature and the current debates around technical objects and art. -- Gregg Lambert, Dean’s Professor of Humanities, Syracuse University, USA
Creation and the Function of Art is one of those rare books that, while they acknowledge their debt to the history of philosophy, manage to say something radically new and provide a fresh angle from which an ancient question can be addressed. More than that, Tuckwell not only makes a uniquely authoritative contribution to the field, but actually lays the foundations for a new field of philosophical inquiry – a philosophical exploration of the function in the work of art. This is an astounding work, and I am sure that anyone with an interest in art and in philosophical aesthetics will find it a stimulating and valuable reading. * Paolo Diego Bubbio, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Western Sydney University, Australia *
Tuckwell develops a novel account of the creative impetus in artistic production by re-problematizing the Aristotelian concept of techné by means of the mathematical function. The function is used to model, not only the creative impetus, but all of the generative principles that underpin a distinctly Aristotelian inspired or neo-Aristotelian process philosophy. * Simon B Duffy, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Yale NUS University, Singapore *