Aesthetic Testimony: An Optimistic Approach by Jon Robson

Abstract

In this paper I offer a critical review of Jon Robson’s recent book, Aesthetic Testimony: An Optimistic Approach. The book fuels the debate on the legitimacy of forming aesthetic judgements based on testimony by defending an optimistic view against the prevailing pessimistic view on the matter. While the pessimistic view denies that testimony can serve as a legitimate source of aesthetic judgement, the optimistic view holds that testimony in aesthetics is not very different from testimony concerning non-aesthetic matters and that the basis for the exceptionality claimed by pessimists is mistaken. Thus, the book offers a dialogue between pessimists and optimists attempting to combat some of the key elements that make pessimism so widely accepted and attractive while presenting optimism not only as a plausible theoretical account but one that is actually closer to our intuitions. My review questions the full success of Robson's proposals against pessimism.