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Professor Feagin, emerita at the Univesity of Missouri, Kansas City, was a well-known philosopher of art, who was a Past President of the American Society of Aesthetics, and a former editor of the Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism. Comments are open for remembrances from those who knew Professor Feagin or for those who would like to comment on the significance of her work.
(Thanks to Noel Carroll for the information.)
Susan was a stylish writer who made important contributions to the philosophy of fiction. Her paper on the pleasures of tragedy is a classic, often taught to students (https://www.jstor.org/stable/20013989).
On a more personal note, she was exceptionally kind and supportive of me when I was starting out, especially as “regular” at the annual aesthetics gathering in Asilomar. This news has come as such a blow.
'On a more personal note, she was exceptionally kind and supportive of me when I was starting out, especially as “regular” at the annual aesthetics gathering in Asilomar. This news has come as such a blow.'
It hurts me too, Professor Lopes. Professor Feagin graciously invited me to dinner with a group of philosophers, following a meeting of The Central States Philosophical Association in KC. She and a gentleman got into a dispute over the restaurant choice. He insisted that it should be a steakhouse, since we were in KC. To tell you the truth, I was rooting for him. But Professor Feagin prevailed and we ended up having a great time at an Indian restaurant. As I recall, the gentleman was appeased by the fact that the place let us bring in our own bottles of wine. May she rest in peace.
Susan was kind and brilliant. She was an incredibly important mentor for me as a woman in aesthetics as she was always engaged, always interested and always stylish. She was one of the "ladies of aesthetics" that forged a path for the rest of us. Her memory will be honored in so many more ways than just her written work.
Dom Lopes is exactly right about Susan's work. She also hosted the roughly monthly meetings of the Philadelphia area Aesthetics Reading Group for some thirty five out of its nearly forty year run. Her graciousness, intelligence, wit, humor (and wine) were central to making this what must be the longest running, most enjoyable, and most productive group of its kind in the history of aesthetics, perhaps of philosophy as a whole. It has been an indispensable part of my professional and personal life, as it has been for all its members. Thank you, Susan, for all of it.
This is deeply sad news. Susan was a towering figure in analytic aesthetics, part of the golden generation of the field. She made foundational contributions to the philosophy of art and emotions (among several other subfields) and was a pioneer among native Anglophone philosophers in realizing the importance of opening up the field to more global perspectives. She also stewarded JAAC in a golden period of the journal. Susan was a deeply serious philosopher (in Susan Haack's terminology) and an unusually generous and morally upstanding person. I learnt a lot from her through her written work, as well as personally. I cherish each and every one of my wonderful memories of working with her at Temple during a Fulbright-sponsored research year in 2017–18, of taking part in the Aesthetics Reading Group Richard has already mentioned, as well as of our meals out and educational trips to the theatre and the cinema (often accompanied by another aesthetics giant and one of her most loyally supportive friends, Noël Carroll). I was blessed to see her last in 2023 in Barcelona and to learn from her so much even about the very city I lived in. I still go back as often as possible and make all those who visit me in Barcelona discover the very theatrical Plaça del Rei that she first made me discover. I will miss her very much but her work and legacy will continue to be relevant for a very long time.
I am sad to hear of the passing of Susan Feagin. She was a presence at the American Society of Aesthetics, known for her grace, wit, penetrating intelligence and quiet lack of tolerance for whining or fools. She was also supportive to me in graduate school at Temple but she insisted that I come to her for help well-researched, with an edited draft, and with a preparedness for real criticism without any ego stroking or beating around the bush. This made her absolutely reliable as a reader and it also taught me a bit about how to behave in professional philosophy. She will be missed for her role as mentor as well as for her long-term tenure at the helm of the Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, and her contributions to the philosophy of literature and theatre.
I will miss Susan very much. In addition to her important philosophical work and service to our profession, she was welcoming to everyone as the generous host of our Philadelphia area aesthetics reading group for many years. She made the open dialogue and exchanges possible with such grace. I felt welcome there from the very beginning.
I wanted to share a link to this memorial website: https://everloved.com/memorial/susan-feagin/family/. It is a place for family and friends of Susan's to post photos and share memories with each other. It will also include information about any events that get planned for celebrating her memory and honoring her work.
This saddens me greatly. Susan was one of the nicest friends I have had in Philosophy and a first rate philosopher. Empathy was a perfect topic for her. She was also an excellent editor of the JAAC in what I think of as its golden years. Like many others, I will miss her.
I'm late to the post, but wanted to take a moment to concur with everyone else (because her death leaves me particularly inarticulate): Susan was very kind, and a mainstay of the ASA and the aesthetics research community. I will miss her.
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