In Chapter 6 Barrett turns to the evaluation and judgement of photography. He uses these terms interchangeably to define “a what that demands a why.” Judgements are statements that demand reasons. Without them they seem like little more than preferences, about which no one would reasonably contend. They are arguments that require evidence. They can be persuasive, convincing, compelling - but not right or wrong.
Judgements, says Barrett, consist of appraisals based on reasons founded in criteria. Appraisals are about the merit of the work, reasons support an appraisal, and criteria are assumptions about rules and standards of what makes art good or bad. These are most often founded on definitions of art and aesthetics. They may be explicit or implicit.
