Who Is the Greatest Philosopher in American Art History?

“Philosopher” is one of those job descriptions in America that brings inevitable jokes about unemployability.  Carlin Romano’s new book, America the Philosophical, aims at transforming the Rodney Dangerfield of academic disciplines into a more respectable and surprisingly “American” enterprise. Romano argues that philosophy isn’t the epistemological navel gazing normally associated with the term but actually the everyday, pragmatic analysis that surrounds our every decision point. When it comes to the art world, Romano picks Arthur Danto (shown above) as the greatest philosopher in American art history—the man every thinking art lover has to read and every other philosophical critic needs to come to terms with in one way or another.  Is Romano right? If not, who deserves Danto’s crown? Please come over to Picture This at Big Think to read more of "Who Is the Greatest Philosopher in American Art History?"