Life Through a Lens: Aesthetic Virtue and Salience vs Kantian Disinterest

Cavedon-Taylor, Dan (2022). Life Through a Lens: Aesthetic Virtue and Salience vs Kantian Disinterest. In: Archer, Sophie ed. Salience: A Philosophical Inquiry. London: Routledge.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351202114-2

Abstract

Kantian disinterest is the view that aesthetic judgement is constituted (at least in part) by a form of perceptual contemplation that is divorced from concerns of practical action. That view, which continues to be defended to this day, is challenged here on the basis that it is unduly spectator-focussed, ignoring important facets of art-making and its motivations. Beauty moves us, not necessarily to tears or rapt contemplation, but to practical action; crucially, it may do so as part and parcel of its appreciation. This claim is defended via reflection on (i) the art of photography, (ii) the concepts of ‘attentional salience’ and ‘experienced mandates’, and (iii) a virtue-based account of aesthetic value.

Viewing alternatives

Download history

Metrics

Public Attention

Altmetrics from Altmetric

Number of Citations

Citations from Dimensions

Item Actions

Export

About