Full Idea
I defend 'ethicism', which says that ethically admirable attitudes count toward the the aesthetic merit of a work, and ethically reprehensible attitudes count against its aesthetic merit.
Gist of Idea
Good ethics counts towards aesthetic merit, and bad ethics counts against it
Source
Berys Gaut (The Ethical Criticism of Art [1998], 'Ethicism')
A Reaction
He recognises that morally admirable works can explore unethical behaviour, and also that identifying the 'attitude' of a work is not simple. The ethics are not necessary. 'Triumph of the Will' is a classic test case. I disagree with Gaut.
Book Reference
'Aesthetics and the Phil of Art (Analytic trad)', ed/tr. Lamarque,P/Olsen,SH [Blackwell 2004], p.283
Related Ideas
Idea 22685 Good art does not necessarily improve people (any more than good advice does) [Gaut]
Idea 22690 'Moralism' says all aesthetic merits are moral merits [Gaut]