Aesthetics and Ethics: On the Power of Aesthetic Features

The relation between ethical and aesthetic values is among the most prominent debates within analytic aesthetics. Recently, the discussion has been focusing on the extent to which the ethical properties expressed by a given work can affect its aesthetic value, reception, and ensuing appraisal In this paper, I am interested in the reverse question. My goal is to examine how aesthetic features and stylistic choices, broadly construed, can affect the reception, understanding, and even further investigation and assessment of the ethical content of a work. My analysis will primarily rely on non-narrative works and aesthetic practices and stems from the consideration of studies in everyday aesthetics and somaesthetics. The way we see and perceive ethics is of crucial importance and it is likely to affect our understanding of ethics and our willingness to engage in the ethical, social, and political climate that characterizes our current global community.