Artistic Creation and Ethical Criticism by Ted Nannicelli

Monika Bokiniec

doi:10.33134/eeja.323

Abstract

Artistic Creation and Ethical Criticism by Ted Nannicelli

Highlights

In philosophical aesthetics, the debate on art and morality is usually phrased as a question of whether the moral value of an artwork has any bearing on its aesthetic value
Nannicelli advocates a ‘production-based account’ as a viable and often more fruitful alternative to perspectivism both in philosophical aesthetics and ethical criticism of art:[2] instead of focusing on the work itself, we should turn to its production and its circumstances, such as the treatment of human subjects, animals, the environment, or the bearing of the artist’s moral character on creating artworks
Despite its prominence among academics and critics, it rarely has any bearing on everyday encounters with art or public policies, partly because of its connection to aesthetic cognitivism, which, according to Nannicelli, relies on empirical claims unsubstantiated by evidence

Summary

Introduction

The debate on art and morality is usually phrased as a question of whether the moral value of an artwork has any bearing on its aesthetic value. Nannicelli advocates a ‘production-based account’ as a viable and often more fruitful alternative to perspectivism both in philosophical aesthetics and ethical criticism of art:[2] instead of focusing on the work itself, we should turn to its production and its circumstances, such as the treatment of human subjects (especially in photography), animals, the environment, or the bearing of the artist’s moral character on creating artworks.

Results

Conclusion