This article discusses aesthetic indifference and the nature of art, exploring how art can go beyond mere beauty to promote human introspection and change in social and ethical contexts.
Let’s say a shivering white rose is in front of us. It is one and the same object, but there are many different ways of perceiving it: it can be seen as a commodity that generates profit, or as an object of botanical study. In some cases, it can also remind us of the young people of the resistance organization White Rose, who died defying the Nazis. In contrast to these examples, however, we often feel satisfied simply because the shape of the petals and their pure white color are beautiful.
The fact that the simple act of looking at a flower can have so many different meanings shows how layered and complex the way we see the world is. Not only can different people have different perspectives, but even the same person’s perception of an object can change at different times and in different situations. This suggests that human experience is not monolithic. For example, when we first saw a white rose as a child, we may have felt that it was pretty, but over time and through a variety of experiences, the rose may become a more complex symbol for us. It can be associated with a specific event or person, or even become a starting point for philosophical or aesthetic reflection.
Sometimes we savor these special moments that are very different from the usual. Things that we normally consider important are completely pushed aside, and only the intrinsic aesthetic form of the object is of interest. The conceptual term for this way of working is ‘aesthetic indifference’. Kant is the most famous proponent of this concept, and according to him, aesthetic indifference is the purely aesthetic state of mind required when judging the beauty of an object. In other words, when we say “X is beautiful,” our attention is solely focused on whether the formal aspects of X are pleasing or unpleasing to our sensibilities. It’s an “indifferent interest” because it’s about whether the formal aspects of X are pleasing or unpleasing to our sensibilities. And the existential value of X, free from all interest in actually obtaining or knowing anything substantial, is in its “purposelessness”.
This theoretical justification of a purely aesthetic dimension that can be reached through a complete distancing from the concept, use, and existence of the object, led Schopenhauer to evaluate the contemplation of artistic beauty as a possibility for human spiritual salvation. Steeped in Buddhism, he took Kant’s notion of aesthetic indifference further and argued for “aesthetic disinterestedness.” According to him, the world is ruled by “blind will,” and we suffer in a constant struggle between need and want, but in the moment of artistic appreciation, we are liberated from the “tyranny of the will” and reach a provisional nirvana.
This experience of aesthetic disinterestedness gives us the opportunity to escape the shackles of everyday life and enjoy a brief moment of freedom. This suggests to us that art can be more than just a source of pleasure, it can be a tool for profound introspection and spiritual peace. The ecstasy we feel when we look at a work of art is not just because of the shapes or color combinations in front of us; in that moment, we are confronted with a certain depth that we don’t experience in our daily lives, and it has the power to make us transcend ourselves.
Aesthetic indifference is a concept that plays a big role in advocating for the inherent value of art. But we must also respect the criticism it can bring when pursued to extremes, because the Declaration of Independence is not a declaration of isolation. The inherent value of art is enhanced when it is in organic harmony with other areas of value, such as truth and goodness. In short, art should not be a means to an end, subordinate to other ends, but neither should its intellectual and practical role be completely neglected.
For this reason, it is important to discuss how art interacts with its social and ethical context. There are countless ways in which art can contribute to truth and goodness as part of the human experience, and in doing so, art can go beyond simply conveying beauty to contribute to a deeper understanding and transformation of human life. The power of art lies not only in its aesthetic form, but in how that form connects our inner world with our outer reality.
