1.1.

          Art

          Art uses the human psychological capacity to be directly and spontaneously infected with feelings another person experiences. The distinguishing feature of art is that by expression of feelings, using some external indication, one intends to infect other people with this (pg. 59). People have the capacity to be receptive for these emotions in such a manner, as if they experienced them themselves. Art in the broadest range bears on for example cradlesongs, mimicry, the ornamentation of houses, and the numerous other fashions by which feelings can be transmitted. In short, art is something that surrounds us in our daily life, and not just something limited to some traditionally appreciated art forms. Tolstoy associated art, in the limited sense of the word, with the transference of feelings, which originate from religious perception (pg. 61). Every society has a religious consciousness about what is good and bad, and about the 'meaning of life'. Religions often start of thanks to a new message about the 'meaning of live'. Their founders are the most enlightened pioneers in a society, who get accompanied in course of time with all sorts of superstition, tradition and ceremony. These most prominent ideals and moral codes born out of religious perception have often inspired art. Art is capable to confront people with its infectious nature in the most direct manner and without any wilfulness or consent, in contrary to reasonable knowledge that always is coupled with a certain conscious rational effort. Art has the potential by conveying morally bad feelings to influence us emotionally on a bad manner, and it does this apart from our reasonable and rational capacities (pg. 144). Tolstoy emphatically associates this aspect of art with Plato's opinion about art. Therefore Plato concluded in his Politeia to denounce most of art because of its infectious and perverting danger. Tolstoy agrees with Plato in recognizing the emotional poisonous character of bad art that Plato's exemplifies in political-moral evaluation in the Politeia. However Tolstoy rejects Plato's conclusion to disregard most art, because he reasons that art has a moral educational function and is therefore an indispensable means of communication for mankind.
          Tolstoy's analysis signals that when art loses its spiritual criterion, it abandons its moral educational assignment. However because art is indispensable for the moral development of mankind, Tolstoy seeks a clear definition of what is essential in art. This search for a definition has to come up with some instrument that is able to clarify both the quality-standards of good art, and the characteristics of bad art.
 
 

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updated April 29, 1999 author: Drs. T. J.  Kuijl ©1995-1999. Comments are welcome and can be send via e-mail (click on e-mail) Quotations of the content of this article should mention the author's name and its source. Copies of this article must leave the text unaltered including the copyright reference. Dissemination of  electronic copies is not allowed.