What are the three general characteristics that define art?

Question

What are the three general characteristics that define art?

Answer 1

awsome question look for a book called   ART by L.Ronald Hubbard.  

A quote from the book says "ART is a word that summarizes  THE QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION"    

see ya  ^____^

Answer 2

feeling, emotions, aesthetic

Answer 3

I've been reading some on the question of 'what is art?', and it isn't that easy. Something is art because it is intended as such. So a wall painted just to change the color is not art. The same work, done as an installation, is art.

Good art is more than accidental. A flower in the field can be beautiful, but you would only consider it art if some one placed it there.

You're looking for an answer to some teacher's question, based on some text he wants you to study. But his book is hardly the only one, and it may well be a stupid, dogmatic, trite, old fashion piece of junk.  :)