Abstract
Art, like language, is a unique feature of human behavior. Here I present a biologi
cal account for the evolution of artistic behavior in humans. To do this, I first utilize
the idea of “four questions” formulated by Tinbergen in classical ethology. By that, I
point out the importance to deal not only proximate causes but also ultimate causes of
artistic behavior, because such an approach enables an inclusive treatment of classical
and contemporary arts. I then submit a dimensional theory of art, which is inspired
from the dimensional theory of emotion. The dimensional theory of emotion accounts
for the perception of facial expressions in terms of the two dimensions, the valence and
the arousal. Likewise, the dimensional theory of artistic behavior tries to identify the
axes by which the product of art is evaluated. I suggest that aesthetic, arousal, and
social dimensions are necessary to account for art. In this schema, art is a process of
finding a new niche in the 3-dimensional art space.
