Two different ways to make choices are 1) by basing our choices on preferences [what we like] or 2) by basing our choices on judgments [our conclusions about what is good]. We can also make decisions that combine both personal preferences and judgments. Let’s focus our attention first on preferences. We can use a to stand for preference.

What we like are our preferences. No one’s preferences are exactly like anyone else’s because each person’s life affects what s/he likes and doesn’t like. Among the many factors that help mold our preferences are our childhood experience, education, travel, family life, religion, politics, work, hobbies, successes, struggles, and much more.

Have you ever heard Julie Andrews sing “These are a Few of My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music? The music of The Sound of Music (1959 play and 1965 film) was written by Richard Rodgers; the words written by Oscar Hammerstein II.

What kind of a life do you suppose would cause a young woman to like these things?

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles, and warm woolen mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Have you experienced any or all of these things? Think of some of your favorite things. When and how did you first experience each? When you know someone well, you can sometimes predict what they will like? Do you think you could make a list of favorite things of a good friend, parent, grandparent, or teacher?

Could one of the ceramic pieces shown above ever be one of your favorite things? Which of these ceramic pieces do you like the most? Who do you know who might prefer each of the other pieces?
Have you ever wondered about the two questions below?

• Do I have to like everything that’s good?
• Is everything I like good?

The answer to both these questions is “no.” On the one hand, we are all free to personally like and enjoy art without any need to explain our preferences. On the other hand, when we learn how to judge excellence in art, we can help others see the good (or not so good) that we have discovered and we can set goals for achieving excellence in our own art making.

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