Bicknell, Jeanette, Jennifer Judkins, and Carolyn Korsmeyer, eds. Philosophical Perspectives on Ruins, Monuments, and Memorials. New York: Routledge, 2019, 304 pp., $155.00 cloth.

A groundbreaking collection, Philosophical Perspectives on Ruins, Monuments, and Memorials, challenges conventional aesthetic theories by integrating ethical and philosophical dimensions into the study of ruins, monuments, and memorials. The editors present a multifaceted approach that examines the aesthetic and ethical value of ruins, questioning Kantian disengagement in favor of emotionally engaged responses to memorial art. Notably, the volume explores the Genbaku Dome in Hiroshima as a symbol of peace and destruction, highlighting its complex role in post-war reconciliation. Through 23 chapters, it addresses contemporary issues such as heritage preservation, the moral implications of reconstruction, and the dynamic sublime of industrial ruins, offering a nuanced framework for understanding cultural legacies.

MOCK, J. W. (2020). BICKNELL, JEANETTE, JENNIFER JUDKINS, and CAROLYN KORSMEYER, eds. Philosophical Perspectives on Ruins, Monuments, and Memorials. New York: Routledge, 2019, 304 pp., $155.00 cloth. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 78(3), 383–386. https://doi.org/10.1111/jaac.12745