The Moral Importance of the Beautiful in Kant Essay

The Moral Importance of the Beautiful in Kant I argue for an interpretation of Kants aesthetics whereby the experience of the beautiful plays the same functional role in the invisible church of natural religion as Scripture does for the visible churches of ecclesiastical religions. Thus, I contend, the links that Kant himself implies between the aesthetic and the moral (in the third Critique and the Religion) are much stronger than generally portrayed by commentators. Indeed, for Kant, experience of the beautiful may be necessary in order to found what Kant views as the final end of morality — the ethical community — since human moral psychology requires embodiments of moral ideas. Finally, I seek to modify Martha Nussbaums argument†¦show more content†¦I end by assessing the contemporary significance of this aesthetic-Enlightenment link in light of criticisms by Richard Shusterman. Though challenged by contemporary charges of elitism, I sketch out a defense of a Kantian-style, disinterested, free-play lin k between aesthetics and morality for a liberal, democratic society. I. One of the main, stated purposes for writing the Religion is to address a potential shortcoming in his moral theory: a concern for duty that is merely personal is not satisfying for reason. For Kant, an individual wonders not only about whether or not she herself has conformed to duty, but also looks toward a final purpose of morality in general: ...an end does arise out of morality; for how the question, What is to result from this right conduct of ours? is to be answered, and towards what, as an end — even granted it may not be wholly subject to our control — we might direct our actions and abstentions so as at least to be in harmony with that end: these cannot possibly be matters of indifference to reason. (RLR, P. 4) What consequences may I bring about in the world? 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