Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

IV. Ethics
artist’s intent to confront the audience
“The
inequality does not justify the
with
framing of people in poverty,
paternalistic
if the audience is moved to donate
even
to charity. The artist should be
money
for showing an uplifting narrative
responsible
artist’s intent to show us the beauty of
“The
Peoples’ dress exploits a power
Indigenous
treats their culture as decorative,
asymmetry,
perpetuates a romanticized and exoticized
and
that further distances the other. Good
ideal
do not absolve the artist of
intentions
years after a photograph was
“Twenty
in a magazine, we learn that the
published
photographer did not follow local
famous
and norms in obtaining the iconic
customs
and did not ask the subject for
portrait,
thereby offending the adults
permission,
scaring the child who was the subject
and
the photograph. We should denounce the
of
and demand the author and magazine
work
to the subject.”
apologize
artistic work inspired an act of
“The
and even though this was never the
violence,
of the artist, she must be held partly
intent
responsible.”
an audience we generously rewarded the
“As
but have forgotten about the subject,
artist
received no share of the financial
who
The artist defended his actions by
rewards.
the person he used as a source of
saying
was barely known before but now
inspiration
an artistic representation of a people ever
Can
“neutral” or objective?
be
an aesthetic bias is inevitable, should we aim
If
regulate it, and if so, how, and who should
to
morality in the arts a matter of
Is
personaltaste?
criteria should we use to find answers
What
the questions above, and do you think
to
people and cultures would agree on
different
criteria?
the
are the implications of using an artistic
What
as a source of knowledge about the
impression
What other sources does it displace?
subject?
should we honour other people’s rights
How
represent themselves while working for a
to
audience?
home
we aim for ethical standards to
If
over time, how should we apply
improve
standards to the past, when
contemporary
“may not have known better”? What
people
is there in interrogating decisions taken
value
the past?
in
we say something was acceptable at the
If
do we marginalize the people who
time,
it was not acceptable at the time, and
thought
change history?
so
what extent are artists responsible for the
To
they inspire in their audience? How do
actions
decide on the boundaries delineating how
we
artists are responsible for the impact of an
far
do we know the difference between
How
and inspiration, and what are
appropriation
implications for this on the ownership of
the
artistic work?
an
10
Example ethical claim in art
Knowledge questions
do this?
that reveals dignity in the face of hardship.”
responsibility.”
artistic work?
enjoys wider recognition.”
Table 10.1
Examples of ethical claims and knowledge questions
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