Art and Morality

Questions:

1. List some emotional responses you have had to artworks.

2. Were they *morally appropriate*? Would it be possible to reponse to an artwork in (what you took to be) a non morally appropriate way?

3. Can an artwork have moral qualities? In what way?

4. Do you think that the asethetic vaule of an artwork related to its moral vaule (if it has one)?

5. What is the position Radical Moralism?

6. Can there be great artworks with no moral values?

7. Can there be great artworks with bad moral values?

8. What is Carroll's position?

9. Has an artwork ever asked you to respond in a way you were not able to? (eg Feeling sorry for HumbertHumbert in Lolita?)

10. Do you think that artworks can be assesed morally at all? Who denies they can?

Paradox Of Fiction

To think about before the seminar:

1. How do you feel when engaging in works of fiction? Is it the same kind of feelings you have in everyday life or not? Are you behaving rationally?

2. What is the paradox of fiction? State it in 3 premises:
A.
B.
C.

3. Why think it is irrational to have emtional responses to things we dont think exist? Who denies this?

4. What is Walton's view?

5. Do you think it is irrational to respond emtionally to fictional works? What does Radford think?

6. Do you enjoy all the feelings that you have when you engage with a work of fiction? If you answered no, then why do you think you seek such experiences out?