Brandon Polite
@politephilosopher.bsky.social
Philosopher at Knox College | Host of YouTube series "Polite Conversations: Philosophers Discussing Art" http://tinyurl.com/2efdaxrn | editor of *Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording* (Bloomsbury 2025) https://tinyurl.com/2dswn6d8 | he/him
What makes art honest—and does it matter? I talk with philosopher Jeremy Page about self-expression, deeper truths, and when bending facts works (or doesn’t). From memoirs to Marvel, Seinfeld to stand-up, we explore honesty’s role across genres. Check it out!!!
Ep. 84: Artistic Honesty & Truth in Art | A Discussion with Jeremy Page
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
August 12, 2025 at 3:04 PM
What makes art honest—and does it matter? I talk with philosopher Jeremy Page about self-expression, deeper truths, and when bending facts works (or doesn’t). From memoirs to Marvel, Seinfeld to stand-up, we explore honesty’s role across genres. Check it out!!!
Happy to report that @lizscar.bsky.social's and my article "Patina of Sound: Valuing Vinyl Records as Relics of Aged Interaction," was just published by ESPES. The Slovak Journal of Aesthetics as part of a symposium on Art, Aesthetics, and the Sense of Touch edited by @carolynkorsmeyer.bsky.social!
Patina of Sound: Valuing Vinyl Records as Relics of Aged Interaction | Polite | ESPES. The Slovak Journal of Aesthetics
Patina of Sound: Valuing Vinyl Records as Relics of Aged Interaction
espes.ff.unipo.sk
July 29, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Happy to report that @lizscar.bsky.social's and my article "Patina of Sound: Valuing Vinyl Records as Relics of Aged Interaction," was just published by ESPES. The Slovak Journal of Aesthetics as part of a symposium on Art, Aesthetics, and the Sense of Touch edited by @carolynkorsmeyer.bsky.social!
Check out the incomparable Jennifer Judkins' generous and enthusiastic review of *Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor’s Versions* at JAAC!!! doi.org/10.1093/jaac...
Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor’s Versions
If you follow Brandon Polite’s work, and you should, you will immediately recognize this anthology’s roots in his Bloomsbury Contemporary Aesthetics Case S
doi.org
July 28, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Check out the incomparable Jennifer Judkins' generous and enthusiastic review of *Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor’s Versions* at JAAC!!! doi.org/10.1093/jaac...
Check it out!!!
excited to say the incomparable @news4wombats.bsky.social, @politephilosopher.bsky.social, and I's paper, "Music Genres as Historical Individuals", was accepted for publication in the British Journal of Aesthetics! The preprint is available here: philpapers.org/rec/MALMGA
philpapers.org
July 18, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Check it out!!!
New episode: I talk with Cynthia Freeland about the aesthetics of Korean dramas (K-dramas). We discuss romance, reincarnation, censorship, class, fate, white panel vans, why Band-Aids can be sexy, and much, much more. Check it out!!! youtu.be/5L6L0nJ2N1k
Ep. 83: The Aesthetics of K-Dramas | A Discussion with Cynthia Freeland
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
July 9, 2025 at 2:37 PM
New episode: I talk with Cynthia Freeland about the aesthetics of Korean dramas (K-dramas). We discuss romance, reincarnation, censorship, class, fate, white panel vans, why Band-Aids can be sexy, and much, much more. Check it out!!! youtu.be/5L6L0nJ2N1k
New episode: Adriana Clavel-Vázquez and I discuss how racism shapes aesthetic perception, why seeing is never neutral, and how art helps us learn (and can help us unlearn) harmful perceptual habits. Check it out!!!
Ep. 82: Racialized Aesthetic Perception & Oppression | A Discussion with Adriana Clavel-Vázquez
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
July 2, 2025 at 5:13 PM
New episode: Adriana Clavel-Vázquez and I discuss how racism shapes aesthetic perception, why seeing is never neutral, and how art helps us learn (and can help us unlearn) harmful perceptual habits. Check it out!!!
Check out my interview with @strohltopia.bsky.social on his most recent book, Hard to Watch: How to Fall in Love with Difficult Movies (link in the comments)!!! We focus on how algorithms harm our tastes and how to resist them, the values of humility and boredom, and much more. youtu.be/GJRFHSoe7pA
Ep. 81: Resisting Algorithms & Appreciating Difficult Movies | A Discussion with Matt Strohl
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
June 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Check out my interview with @strohltopia.bsky.social on his most recent book, Hard to Watch: How to Fall in Love with Difficult Movies (link in the comments)!!! We focus on how algorithms harm our tastes and how to resist them, the values of humility and boredom, and much more. youtu.be/GJRFHSoe7pA
Tomorrow!!!
⏰ Tomorrow!
@politephilosopher.bsky.social talks Taylor Swift, re-recording, the questions it raises & the lessons we can learn. Join us for a dive into the battle of art vs commerce!
Register here: bit.ly/43QOONU
@politephilosopher.bsky.social talks Taylor Swift, re-recording, the questions it raises & the lessons we can learn. Join us for a dive into the battle of art vs commerce!
Register here: bit.ly/43QOONU
April 28, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Tomorrow!!!
The revolutionary article that Aaron Meskin and I wrote, "Why Record Shops Matter Aesthetically," which is forthcoming in JAAC, is now available online. If you can access it, check it out!!!! doi.org/10.1093/jaac...
Why Record Shops Matter Aesthetically: A Case Study in Aesthetic Institutions1
Abstract. After nearly being killed off by CDs in the 1980s and 1990s, and despite the rise of streaming services like Spotify, vinyl records have had a ma
doi.org
April 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The revolutionary article that Aaron Meskin and I wrote, "Why Record Shops Matter Aesthetically," which is forthcoming in JAAC, is now available online. If you can access it, check it out!!!! doi.org/10.1093/jaac...
Check me out as I talk about what Taylor's Versions can teach us about the nature of versions more generally.
Join us on April 29th for the next Bloomsbury Lecture, as @politephilosopher.bsky.social talks about Taylor Swift and her project of re-recording her first six studio albums.
Register here: bit.ly/43QOONU
Register here: bit.ly/43QOONU
April 12, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Check me out as I talk about what Taylor's Versions can teach us about the nature of versions more generally.
Check out my interview with Eva Dadlez about tattoos. We discuss evolving attitudes toward tattoos regarding issues of gender, class, morality, and their status as a legitimate art form, and much, much more!!!
youtu.be/NPfm8dXDhaQ
youtu.be/NPfm8dXDhaQ
Ep. 80: Tattoos As Art & Expression | A Discussion with Eva Dadlez
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
March 11, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Check out my interview with Eva Dadlez about tattoos. We discuss evolving attitudes toward tattoos regarding issues of gender, class, morality, and their status as a legitimate art form, and much, much more!!!
youtu.be/NPfm8dXDhaQ
youtu.be/NPfm8dXDhaQ
Check out my interview with James Shelley (Auburn) about the nature of aesthetic value!
Ep. 79: The Nature of Aesthetic Value | A Discussion with James Shelley
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
February 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Check out my interview with James Shelley (Auburn) about the nature of aesthetic value!
Check out my interview with Andrew Kania (Trinity University) on authenticity in classical music!
Ep. 78: Authenticity in Classical Music | A Discussion with Andrew Kania
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
February 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Check out my interview with Andrew Kania (Trinity University) on authenticity in classical music!
My edited volume, Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording, is currently on sale for 30% at Bloomsbury's website. If you haven't ordered it yet, now would be a great time to do so.
Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording
A lively and thorough exploration of the aesthetic, metaphysical, ethical, political, and legal implications of Taylor Swift's ongoing project of re-recording h…
www.bloomsbury.com
February 11, 2025 at 9:31 PM
My edited volume, Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording, is currently on sale for 30% at Bloomsbury's website. If you haven't ordered it yet, now would be a great time to do so.
Check out the thrilling conclusion to my interview with Murray Smith (University of Kent), where we discuss film's musical possibilities and music's cinematic possibilities!
Ep. 77: Film, Sound, & Music: Part 2 | A Discussion with Murray Smith
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
February 6, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Check out the thrilling conclusion to my interview with Murray Smith (University of Kent), where we discuss film's musical possibilities and music's cinematic possibilities!
Check out Part 1 of my interview with Murray Smith (University of Kent) about the evolving roles that sound and music have played in cinema. It's a fun one!!!
And tune in next week for the exciting conclusion to the interview!
And tune in next week for the exciting conclusion to the interview!
Ep. 77: Film, Sound, & Music: Part 1 | A Discussion with Murray Smith
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
January 30, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Check out Part 1 of my interview with Murray Smith (University of Kent) about the evolving roles that sound and music have played in cinema. It's a fun one!!!
And tune in next week for the exciting conclusion to the interview!
And tune in next week for the exciting conclusion to the interview!
Check out my interview with the amazing @emmiemalone.bsky.social on #countrymusic #fashion #costumes #queercountry #cowboycarter #chappellroan #jojosiwa #taylorswift #philosophy #punk #elvispresley & more!!!!
Ep. 76: Country, Popular Music, & Fashion | A Discussion with Emmie Malone
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
www.youtube.com
January 23, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Check out my interview with the amazing @emmiemalone.bsky.social on #countrymusic #fashion #costumes #queercountry #cowboycarter #chappellroan #jojosiwa #taylorswift #philosophy #punk #elvispresley & more!!!!
*Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor's Versions*. Out now in hardback and paperback!!! Please check it out, and share this post widely. #taylorswift #taylorsversions #philosophy
Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording
A lively and thorough exploration of the aesthetic, metaphysical, ethical, political, and legal implications of Taylor Swift's ongoing project of re-recording h…
www.bloomsbury.com
January 23, 2025 at 3:37 PM
*Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor's Versions*. Out now in hardback and paperback!!! Please check it out, and share this post widely. #taylorswift #taylorsversions #philosophy
My edited volume is out there in the world! Are you... Ready For It?
10/10 mail day! My friend @politephilosopher.bsky.social's new book on Taylor Swift's re-recordings arrived! This collection of essays is 🔥. Drop everything now and go get yourself a copy! tiny.cc/im17001
January 22, 2025 at 11:59 PM
My edited volume is out there in the world! Are you... Ready For It?
Check out my conversation with @brsoucek.bsky.social on his book "Permitting Art: Visual Arts and the First Amendment on the Streets of New York" (Cabinet Books, 2024)! We discuss the relationship between art, commerce, and the law by looking at a number of important cases from NYC and beyond.
Ep. 75: Art Laws | A Discussion with Brian Soucek
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
January 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Check out my conversation with @brsoucek.bsky.social on his book "Permitting Art: Visual Arts and the First Amendment on the Streets of New York" (Cabinet Books, 2024)! We discuss the relationship between art, commerce, and the law by looking at a number of important cases from NYC and beyond.
"Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor's Versions," edited by me, is now available from Bloomsbury as an ebook at their website and elsewhere!
It will be out in hardback and paperback two weeks (aka, a "Fortnight") from today.
Please share widely!
tinyurl.com/48nx52kz
It will be out in hardback and paperback two weeks (aka, a "Fortnight") from today.
Please share widely!
tinyurl.com/48nx52kz
January 9, 2025 at 5:22 PM
"Taylor Swift and the Philosophy of Re-recording: The Art of Taylor's Versions," edited by me, is now available from Bloomsbury as an ebook at their website and elsewhere!
It will be out in hardback and paperback two weeks (aka, a "Fortnight") from today.
Please share widely!
tinyurl.com/48nx52kz
It will be out in hardback and paperback two weeks (aka, a "Fortnight") from today.
Please share widely!
tinyurl.com/48nx52kz
Check out my interview with @lindsaybrainard.bsky.social on creativity and A.I.!!! We consider: What is creativity? What would it take for A.I. to be creative? Are Taylor Swift's re-recordings creative? How should A.I. be regulated? And much, much more.
Ep. 74: Creativity & the Threat of A.I. | A Discussion with Lindsay Brainard
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
January 7, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Check out my interview with @lindsaybrainard.bsky.social on creativity and A.I.!!! We consider: What is creativity? What would it take for A.I. to be creative? Are Taylor Swift's re-recordings creative? How should A.I. be regulated? And much, much more.
Check out my interview with Luvell Anderson (@luke-rage.bsky.social) about his work on race and the ethics of humor! We talk how context affects a joke's success; whether it's ever ok for white comedians to use the N-word in their acts; whether a joke can ever be timeless; and much, much more.
Ep. 73: Race & Comedy | A Discussion with Luvell Anderson
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
December 18, 2024 at 4:32 PM
Check out my interview with Luvell Anderson (@luke-rage.bsky.social) about his work on race and the ethics of humor! We talk how context affects a joke's success; whether it's ever ok for white comedians to use the N-word in their acts; whether a joke can ever be timeless; and much, much more.
Check out my interview with Stephanie Patridge on snobbery. We talk about elitism and classicism, prestige, cobblers, boxed wine, record shops, punk, country, heavy metal, The Shawshank Redemption, French fries, Rush, Donald Trump's golden toilet, and much, much more!
Ep 72: Snobbery, Taste, & Elitism | A Discussion with Stephanie Patridge
YouTube video by Philosophers Discussing Art
youtu.be
October 31, 2024 at 2:56 PM
Check out my interview with Stephanie Patridge on snobbery. We talk about elitism and classicism, prestige, cobblers, boxed wine, record shops, punk, country, heavy metal, The Shawshank Redemption, French fries, Rush, Donald Trump's golden toilet, and much, much more!