Abstract

This paper aims to reconstruct Ernst Cassirer’s theory of art against the backdrop of the systematic question of what overall contribution art can make to man’s relation to the world. It will be shown that for Cassirer, the productive benefit of art is essentially developing new sensuous skills of perception when dealing with art. In Essay on Man Cassirer gives three central determinations to sketch out this idea. This paper argues, that in order to render Cassirer’s concept of productive art intelligible, one has to show these determinations as conceptually interrelated. Moreover, based on these three determinations this paper outlines three criteria that a satisfactory concept of productive art has to meet.