From Ethics to Aesthetics: Rediscovering Forgotten Values

The Pursuit of Beauty

In a world increasingly dominated by visual culture, fuelled by the pervasive influence of social media and an insatiable appetite for instant gratification, the line between what looks good and what is good has never been more blurred. While the pursuit of beauty has always been central to the human experience, this quest now demands critical reflection: how far will we go, and at what cost? 

Throughout history, the concept of beauty has often been associated with notions of moral order and justice, reflecting a deep-seated belief that aesthetic harmony is intrinsically linked to ethical values. However, as society has progressed, particularly through the Enlightenment and into the contemporary period, a shift has occurred. The rise of individualism and consumer culture has led to a growing divide between aesthetics and ethics, with modern art movements and societal trends often prioritising surface-level appeal over deeper moral engagement.

Oscar Wilde's claim that "aesthetic is superior to ethics" reflects a cultural shift valuing beauty over moral concerns, especially in a consumer-driven society. However, Wilde's dismissal of sunsets for their lack of commodification exposes a contradiction in his view of beauty's worth. G.K. Chesterton, a critic of Wilde, pointed out this inconsistency, arguing that true beauty is appreciated ethically, not economically. Chesterton's quip—"we can pay for sunsets by not being Oscar Wilde"—calls for a more ethical approach to beauty, challenging the superficial focus on aesthetics in modern culture.

To understand this shift, we must examine the complex relationship between aesthetics and ethics and how cultural, philosophical, and artistic developments have shifted our focus from authenticity to appearance. By exploring these dynamics, we can see the urgent need to reconnect these two vital dimensions of human experience, enabling a deeper and more meaningful engagement with beauty that does not forsake its ethical foundations.

The Historical Roots of Aesthetic and Ethical Interconnection

The connection between beauty and ethics has been a subject of deep philosophical enquiry for centuries. The ancient Greeks, notably Pythagoras, laid much of the groundwork for this relationship by proposing that mathematical harmony is a fundamental aspect of beauty. His teachings suggested that the beauty found in nature and art is not arbitrary but rooted in universal principles of symmetry and proportion. This idea was further developed during the Renaissance in the works of Leonardo da Vinci, whose Vitruvian Man exemplified the relationship between human proportions, symmetry, and aesthetics. Da Vinci's later exploration of these concepts in De Divina Proportione, in collaboration with Luca Pacioli, demonstrated that proportionality is closely linked with our perception of beauty, though it left open questions about why we are inherently drawn to certain forms.

The philosophical journey continued with Immanuel Kant, who in his Critique of Judgment argued that beauty, while subjective, carries an inherent claim to universal agreement. Kant posited that our judgments of beauty are not rooted in the object itself but in the shared human experience of perceiving the object—a process he described as disinterested pleasure, a form of appreciation free from personal desire or utility. This shared sensibility hints at a deeper ethical dimension, suggesting that our appreciation of beauty aligns with a collective sense of order and fairness that transcends individual biases and cultural differences.

Art historian Ernst Gombrich, in his seminal work The Sense of Order, expanded on these ideas by examining how humans are naturally inclined towards visual harmony and order, such as symmetry and proportional relationships. He argued that our aesthetic preferences are not simply cultural constructs but are deeply embedded in human cognition, pointing to a universal connection between our aesthetic and ethical sensibilities. Gombrich’s exploration of the psychology of perception reveals that our appreciation of beauty is not just a fleeting feeling but a deeper, almost instinctual response that reflects our ethical predispositions.

Throughout history, beauty has often been associated with moral order and justice, where the aesthetic appeal of symmetry and balance mirrors deeper ethical values. However, as we move into the Enlightenment period, the focus on reason and the rise of individualism began to disrupt this balance. As rational thought increasingly overshadowed religious and philosophical traditions that once intertwined beauty and morality, new movements like 'Art for Art’s Sake' emerged. These movements, reacting against Enlightenment rationalism, championed the appreciation of beauty for its own sake, independent of moral or social utility—a sentiment reflected in the liberal political climate of the period. While this shift celebrated individual experience and aesthetic pleasure, it also severed the ties between beauty and its ethical dimensions.

The Modern Predicament: Aesthetics Over Ethics

In the contemporary art world, the growing divide between aesthetics and ethics is starkly evident. The rise of conceptual art in the 20th century marked a significant departure from traditional forms of artistic expression that valued technical mastery and ethical engagement. Artists like Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons have become symbols of this new direction, creating works that emphasise shock value and commercial success over aesthetic beauty or ethical depth. Their art often consists of provocative or sensational imagery that serves more to titillate or provoke than to engage with deeper moral or philosophical themes, reflecting a broader societal trend where the pursuit of aesthetic perfection has become an end in itself, disconnected from any substantive ethical considerations.

This focus on aesthetics over ethics extends beyond the realm of art and deeply infiltrates various aspects of contemporary life. In politics, for instance, the emphasis on image and public persona frequently overshadows substantive policy discussions. Politicians are increasingly evaluated based on their visual appeal, charisma, and ability to craft a compelling public image rather than their ethical integrity or commitment to genuine policy reform. The rise of media-savvy politicians who prioritise optics over substance reflects a deeper cultural trend where image is more valued than integrity.

Similarly, in consumer culture, products are often marketed more for their aesthetic appeal and the aspirational lifestyles they symbolise than for their intrinsic qualities or ethical production practices. This emphasis on aesthetics over ethics is further amplified by social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which create a feedback loop that commodifies beauty and perpetuates superficial standards. Influencers curate their lives to appear perfect and aesthetically pleasing, often concealing a lack of depth or ethical substance, which in turn influences their followers to prioritise looks over values.

The lack of ethics in modern society can be equated with a lack of depth or perhaps with the pervasive issue of ephemerality, where nothing seems to go beyond the surface. The bite-sized, fast-paced nature of social media has significantly contributed to this development. People today rarely take the time to fully understand a topic before expressing an opinion or, more commonly, hitting the ‘re-share’ button. This ethical deficiency is one of the most pressing issues of our time, giving rise to a host of other systemic problems. For example, consider the diminished sense of duty among some journalists, who, on numerous occasions, seem more interested in shaping narratives than in presenting facts.

The Picasso Paradox

In the dawn of the modern era, artists like Picasso were perceived as liberated, free to explore new forms and colours that broke away from the traditional mimetic representation of the visible world. This shift led to the creation of Cubism, a revolutionary movement in Western art, which to art critics like Sir Anthony Blunt, paralleled the transformative discoveries of Einstein and Freud. Cubism rejected stable perspectives and conventional artistic principles in favour of fragmented planes and ambiguous spaces, challenging the identity of objects and the notion of absolute truth. It created a language of intentional ambiguity, mirroring the paradoxes and complexities of the 20th-century experience.

Sir Anthony Blunt, a fervent supporter of Picasso, argued that Picasso’s invention of Cubism, alongside Georges Braque, revolutionised not only French and European art but also had a global impact. Blunt, a key figure in British art history, was later unmasked as a traitor to the Crown, revealing a life steeped in contradictions. His intellectual background in Bloomsbury and connections with the Cambridge Apostles positioned him within the avant-garde of early 20th-century English modernity. Yet, his political affiliations with communism and involvement in secretive homosexual circles highlighted the paradoxical nature of his life, where public advocacy for modernity was intertwined with clandestine circles at the time.

Picasso, despite being celebrated for his artistic genius, presents a paradox of his own. His works, while groundbreaking, often raise ethical concerns, particularly in their portrayal of women. Paintings like Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) and The Weeping Woman (1937) reflect a troubling pattern of objectification and dehumanisation. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, which marked a decisive break from the mimetic tradition, was initially lauded for its formal innovation. However, it also introduced a visual transgression that reflected Picasso’s complex and often contradictory relationship with women, manifesting as both fascination and aversion. Similarly, The Weeping Woman, though linked to the monumental Guernica (1937), notable for its anti-war protest and the depiction of human suffering, reduces the female subject to a mere symbol of suffering, stripping away her individuality.

The 'Picasso Paradox' emerges here: a figure who, through Cubism, subverted not only artistic norms but also societal and ethical ones, creating art that both liberated and confined, both celebrated and questioned. His public alignment with communism and his radical artistic innovations masked deeper, more personal subversions, much like Blunt's covert life. Together, Picasso and Blunt epitomise the paradoxical spirit of the 20th century—a time marked by profound cultural, moral, and intellectual upheavals, where the surface often belied the true depth of the transformations underway. Picasso’s legacy, therefore, is one of both artistic liberation and ethical ambiguity, embodying the very contradictions that defined the modern era.

The Ethical Implications of Aesthetic Prioritisation

The societal prioritisation of aesthetics over ethics carries significant ethical implications, fundamentally altering how we value people and objects. The commodification of beauty on social media platforms reinforces narrow and often unrealistic standards of attractiveness, which can have detrimental effects on individual self-esteem and societal values. The relentless pressure to conform to these ideals can lead to an overemphasis on physical appearance, promoting practices that may be superficial, unhealthy, or even harmful.

The dominance of scientific rationalism in contemporary thought has increasingly led to the marginalisation of philosophical enquiry, particularly in the realm of ethics. G.K. Chesterton pointed out that the rise of science as the predominant mode of knowledge has overshadowed more contemplative, philosophical approaches to understanding human experience. Similarly, F.C. Copleston observed that as scientific disciplines have expanded, they have increasingly encroached upon areas traditionally reserved for philosophy, such as ethics and metaphysics. He noted, "It is widely felt, and by no means only by professional philosophers, that the particular sciences, in the course of their development, have wrested from philosophy one after another of the fields which it regarded as its own.” This shift has resulted in a society where empirical knowledge is often seen as the only valid form of understanding, sidelining the ethical, philosophical, and metaphysical dimensions that are crucial for a holistic view of human life.

In this context, Thomas Aquinas’ belief that all human knowledge begins with sense perception becomes particularly relevant. According to Aquinas, humans do not possess innate ideas; instead, the mind begins as a tabula rasa (a blank slate) that acquires knowledge through the senses. He famously stated, "Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses" (Nihil est in intellectu quod non sit prius in sensu). This perspective underscores the idea that our engagement with aesthetics and other sensory experiences is not merely superficial but deeply informs our intellect and moral understanding.

The intersection of science, technology, and philosophy underscores how advanced scientific fields like quantum physics, genetics, and robotics are engaging with metaphysical questions traditionally reserved for philosophy. As scientific progress reshapes our understanding of reality, life, and existence, it highlights the renewed importance of philosophical reflection and ethics. Socrates' metaphor that "life without science is a kind of death" emphasises that scientific advancements not only sustain human vitality but also compel us to confront deep questions and ethical dilemmas, ensuring that progress is both technical and ethically grounded, with consideration for its long-term impacts.

Art as a Medium for Ethical Reflection and Catharsis

Despite the growing focus on aesthetics over ethics, art still possesses a unique capacity to provoke ethical reflection and emotional catharsis. Aristotle’s concept of catharsis, initially associated with Greek tragedy, illustrates how art can provide both emotional release and intellectual insight, encouraging viewers to engage with the ethical dimensions of their experiences. This "catharsis as revelation" moves beyond mere aesthetic enjoyment, prompting a deeper contemplation of human nature and societal issues.

In a broader psychological sense, catharsis as revelation can occur when someone confronts and processes deeply repressed emotions or traumas. The act of confronting these emotions, whether through therapy, art, or intense personal reflection, can lead to a moment of insight where the individual gains a new understanding of themselves, their experiences, or the world around them. This revelation can be transformative, leading to personal growth, a shift in perspective, or a change in behaviour.

The role of catharsis in visual art is not confined to its emotional impact but also involves its ability to evoke a deeper understanding of ethical and moral questions. Powerful works of art can trigger moments of clarity or truth that transcend the visual experience, prompting viewers to reflect on their own values and beliefs. This phenomenon is evident in the works of artists who use their platforms to address social and political issues, challenging audiences to think critically about the world around them. The emotional and intellectual engagement that art can provoke makes it a potent tool for ethical reflection, capable of fostering compassion and understanding across diverse perspectives.

Movements like Arte Povera in the 1960s exemplify the potential for ethical engagement in art. Emerging as a critique of consumerism and the mechanisation of life, Arte Povera artists employed humble materials to create works that emphasised ethical considerations over superficial aesthetics. By rejecting the commercial values of the mainstream art world, they sought to reclaim art as a medium for social and moral critique, challenging viewers to consider the ethical implications of their own consumption and lifestyle choices. The Arte Povera movement aimed to strip away the layers of superficiality and consumerism that had come to dominate the art world, using raw and unrefined materials to create works that resonated with ethical depth and social consciousness.

The concept of catharsis as revelation is not limited to visual art; it can also be found in literature, music, and other forms of artistic expression. In literature, for example, the works of authors like Fyodor Dostoevsky explore the ethical dimensions of human existence, prompting readers to reflect on their own values and beliefs. Dostoevsky’s assertion that "beauty will save the world" suggests that true beauty is not merely an aesthetic quality but a moral and spiritual force. For him, beauty is redemptive—it has the power to inspire goodness, evoke empathy, and ultimately transform the human soul.

Reclaiming the Ethical Dimension of Aesthetic Experience

To address the ethical deficiencies of modern society, it is essential to reclaim a deeper, more meaningful engagement with aesthetics that acknowledges its moral dimensions. This requires a fundamental shift in how we perceive and interact with beauty, moving beyond surface-level appreciation to a more profound understanding of the ethical and philosophical questions that underlie our aesthetic experiences. Such a shift involves not only a revaluation of our cultural and artistic values but also a reconsideration of how we educate future generations about aesthetics and ethics.

Consider the Lascaux cave drawings in France near Montignac. These prehistoric artworks reveal that humans have always felt a profound need to create. This innate drive, woven into our very nature, reflects our connection to the Creator, mirroring divine creativity. Aesthetics, therefore, is not merely a pursuit of beauty but an expression of our divine essence. It is deeply intertwined with virtues, morals, and ethics, for as moral beings, our creativity reflects our capacity for the divine—our Capax Dei. Aesthetic expression has the potential to elevate us towards the divine, serving as the purest reflection of our metaphysical essence. Therefore, aesthetics is inherently tied to morality and virtue. 

Education plays a crucial role in this reclamation process. By incorporating discussions of aesthetics and ethics into educational curricula, we can encourage students to think critically about the images they consume and create, fostering a deeper engagement with the moral dimensions of their creative endeavours. This approach necessitates a holistic understanding of aesthetics that integrates technical mastery with ethical reflection, ensuring that artistic expressions are not just visually compelling but also ethically meaningful.

Josef Pieper, in The Silence of St. Thomas, argues for the importance of reconnecting ethical considerations with the pursuit of truth, suggesting that a society detached from ethical enquiry loses its capacity for genuine engagement with reality. He emphasises that only those who are free from selfish desires can truly perceive the truth, highlighting the importance of ethical purity in our engagement with the world. As we navigate the complexities of modern aesthetics, it is vital to reintegrate ethical reflection into our appreciation of beauty, ensuring that our pursuit of aesthetics is enriched by a commitment to moral values.

Toward a Harmonised Vision of Ethics and Aesthetics 

To fully appreciate the pursuit of beauty, it must be harmonised with ethical considerations. Our engagement with aesthetics should not merely deepen our appreciation of beauty but also reinforce our understanding of ethical principles, guiding us towards a more just and compassionate society. By aligning aesthetics with ethics, we foster a richer and more profound appreciation of art that embodies our highest moral values. In a society that balances these two elements, artistic expressions are elevated.

The challenge lies in merging these values in a way that enriches both our aesthetic experiences and our ethical commitments, ensuring that beauty and virtue coexist harmoniously. This integration requires a conscious effort to engage with art and beauty on a deeper level, moving beyond superficial judgements to consider the ethical and philosophical implications of our aesthetic choices. In doing so, we transform art from a mere distraction or commodity into a powerful tool for ethical reflection and social change. In this world, beauty is not only seen but felt, not only admired but lived.

Aesthetics, when aligned with truth and goodness, can be a transformative force, inspiring moral and spiritual growth that leads to personal redemption and, ultimately, broader societal impact. The integration of aesthetics and ethics offers a path toward a more enlightened society—one where beauty is not superficial but reflective of our highest moral and spiritual values.

In this context, I find resonance with E. Michael Jones' perspective: the notion of a postmodern era is, in reality, a misnomer. What we witness instead are those who delve ever deeper into the narrow grooves of compulsive and self-destructive liberation. If a true postmodern era is to emerge, it will arise not from increasingly withered theories or more violent forms of self-destruction but from a genuine negation of modernism.

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