more from this thinker
|
more from this text
Single Idea 22706
[filed under theme 21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 7. Art and Morality
]
Full Idea
A work that looks for the audience's sympathetic approval and alienates them instead, because it's both morally repulsive and incoherent in what it requires them to suppose, isn't an artistic success.
Gist of Idea
A work which seeks approval for immorality, but alienates the audience, is a failure
Source
Stephen Davies (The Philosophy of Art (2nd ed) [2016], 8.7)
Book Ref
Davies,Stephen: 'The Philosophy of Art (2nd ed)' [Wiley Blackwell 2016], p.218
A Reaction
The implication seems to be that works are only successful if they achieve what the creator consciously intended. Lawrence said trust the novel, not the novelist. Milton's Satan is a famous example of heroism not intended by the author.
The
39 ideas
with the same theme
[relationship between moral and aesthetic values]:
468
|
Musical performance can reveal a range of virtues
[Damon of Ath.]
|
297
|
What is fine is the parent of goodness
[Plato]
|
8239
|
If the King likes music then there is hope for the state
[Mengzi (Mencius)]
|
635
|
The good is found in actions, but beauty can exist without movement
[Aristotle]
|
2846
|
Music can mould the character to be virtuous (just as gymnastics trains the body)
[Aristotle]
|
3044
|
Stoics say that beauty and goodness are equivalent and linked
[Chrysippus, by Diog. Laertius]
|
1907
|
Stoics use 'kalon' (beautiful) as a synonym for 'agathon' (good)
[Bury on Stoic school]
|
22022
|
Beauty motivates morality, by harmonising feeling and reason
[Schiller, by Pinkard]
|
22710
|
People estimate art according to their moral values
[Tolstoy]
|
8125
|
The upper classes put beauty first, and thus freed themselves from morality
[Tolstoy]
|
8064
|
We separate the concept of beauty from goodness, unlike the ancients
[Tolstoy]
|
7274
|
Books are only well or badly written, not moral or immoral
[Wilde]
|
7275
|
Having ethical sympathies is a bad mannerism of style in an artist
[Wilde]
|
20426
|
For pure moralists art must promote right action, and not just be harmless
[Fry]
|
22691
|
Only artistic qualities matter in art, because they also have the highest moral value
[Bell,C]
|
23898
|
Those who say immorality is not an aesthetic criterion must show that all criteria are aesthetic
[Weil]
|
22347
|
Appreciating beauty in art or nature opens up the good life, by restricting selfishness
[Murdoch]
|
22712
|
Art and morals are essentially the same, and are both identical with love
[Murdoch]
|
22714
|
Because art is love, it improves us morally
[Murdoch]
|
22688
|
The Aristotelian idea that choices can be perceived needs literary texts to expound it
[Nussbaum]
|
20456
|
Interesting art is always organised around ethical demands
[Critchley]
|
22696
|
'Autonomism' says the morality is irrelevant to the aesthetics
[Jacobson,D]
|
22697
|
Moral defects of art can be among its aesthetic virtues
[Jacobson,D]
|
22700
|
Immoral art encourages immoral emotions
[Jacobson,D]
|
22702
|
Audiences can be too moral
[Jacobson,D]
|
22699
|
Moderate moralism says moral qualities can sometimes also be aesthetic qualities
[Jacobson,D]
|
22698
|
We can judge art ethically, or rate its ethical influence, or assess its quality via its ethics
[Jacobson,D]
|
22685
|
Good art does not necessarily improve people (any more than good advice does)
[Gaut]
|
22684
|
Good ethics counts towards aesthetic merit, and bad ethics counts against it
[Gaut]
|
22689
|
If we don't respond ethically in the way a work prescribes, that is an aesthetic failure
[Gaut]
|
22690
|
'Moralism' says all aesthetic merits are moral merits
[Gaut]
|
22692
|
A work can be morally and artistically excellent, despite rejecting moral truth
[John,E]
|
22693
|
The works we value most are in sympathy with our own moral views
[John,E]
|
22694
|
We should understand what is morally important in a story, without having to endorse it
[John,E]
|
22695
|
We value morality in art because that is what we care about - but it is a contingent fact
[John,E]
|
22704
|
Immorality may or may not be an artistic defect
[Davies,S]
|
22705
|
If the depiction of evil is glorified, that is an artistic flaw
[Davies,S]
|
22707
|
It is an artistic defect if excessive moral outrage distorts the story, and narrows our sympathies
[Davies,S]
|
22706
|
A work which seeks approval for immorality, but alienates the audience, is a failure
[Davies,S]
|