Hume on Taste

1
Hume on Taste

• Hume's account of judgments of taste parallels
  his discussion of judgments or moral right and
  wrong.
• Both accounts use the internal/external
  distinction external facts -- internal
  "sentiment" behavior/feeling
• In both cases the "error" in judgment will be in
  the analysis of the external facts.
• Judgments of taste will be objective in part
  because the judgments of "objects of taste" are
  "question of fact, not sentiment."
• Therefore it's of some use to look at Hume's
  views of causation and morality.
• on to morality!

2
David HumeMorality and "Sentiment"

• HUME begins with "natural philosophy" which is
  an empirical, experimental method of inquiry
• He holds that nothing is present to the mind
  except its PERCEPTIONS.
• PERCEPTIONS are either sense impressions, or
  ideas based on sense impressions.
• "knowledge" consists in judgments about either
  "matters of fact" or "relations between ideas"

3
Traditional View of Causation
NOT Humes

• We extend the usefulness of the factual
  information that comes from the senses by making
  inferences based on a belief in "cause and
  effect
• The traditional view of causation has three
  elements.
• In addition to the cause and its effect there is
  a third element a necessary, real relation
  between the cause and the effect that is
  contributed by reason

4
Hume on "Causation"

• Hume believes the traditional view confuses a
  mental habit with an "alleged real relation
• For Hume causation is rooted in belief.
• A "belief" is a lively idea associated with a
  present impression.
• We see cause A and effect B in "constant
  conjunction", so we believe that B always follows
  A.
• There is no additional "necessary relation"
  independent of our senses and our ideas.

5
"Causation" and Morality I

• How are causal explanations of moral issues and
  matters of fact related?
• First They are similar
• "Helping the injured is good" and "Acid causes
  litmus paper to turn red" are contingent, not
  necessary truths
• All matters of fact are contingently true.
• This means they could be otherwise.
• Note "necessary truths" are those that are true
  independent of experience. e.g.. Plato's forms

6
"Causation" and Morality II

• Second They are different
• The "causal connection" is based on the
  conjunction of two external events.
• A moral assertion is based on an external
  behavioral event and an internal mental event.
• That is --
• voluntary actions and
• feelings of approval/disapproval

7
"Causation" and Morality III

• Third They are comparable.
• We are psychologically "tuned" to attribute a
  moral quality to an action that is experienced in
  "constant conjunction" with a feeling of approval
  or disapproval.
• If we are presented with the same data we will
  tend to respond in a similar manner.

8
Source of Morality

• Does morality "reside" with our ability to
  reason. Or our ability to feel?
• Some argue that moral distinctions are found
  through the use of reason alone.
• Others argue that reason cannot draw moral
  conclusions that virtue and vice are a matter of
  "sentiment."
• Hume believes that making moral judgments
  involves both.

9
Yet Sentiment Is the Ultimate Source of Morality

• According to Hume the function of morality is to
  teach us our duty. that is what we should DO.
• Hume argues that reason can have no effect on our
  behavior.
• He says that reason has no power over our
  feelings.
• And, thus, no influence over our behavior.
• Without "sentiment" morality is not a "practical
  study."

10
What constitutes the WRONGNESS of an Act?

• Hume parallels his critique of the traditional
  view of causation.
• He argues that the "wrong-ness" of an action is
  neither
• a matter of fact "where is the matter of fact
  we call a crime?"
• nor a moral relation discovered by reason
  morality doesn't consist in the relation of its
  parts.
• The wrong-ness comes from the feeling of
  approval or disapproval towards an action.

11
Sentiment is the Source of Morality

• Hume states that VIRTUE is those mental actions
  that give the viewer the "pleasing sentiment of
  approbation.
• The role for reason in morality is to ascertain
  the facts and relations of the situation.
• How does this differ from the use of reason in
  non-moral matters?
• In moral reasoning we must know all the objects
  and relations before we make our moral judgment.
• The difference between a mistake of fact and a
  mistake of right Oedipus vs. Nero.

12
Source of our "passions"?

• Hume's MORAL THEORY rests on some of our
  "sentiments" originating outside our personal
  concerns. This is necessary for him to avoid
  relativism
• He argues that "the notion of morals implies some
  sentiment common to all mankind."
• a universal sentiment that is different than
  desire/aversion, affection/hatred etc
• And that as long as humans have the same elements
  as now, we will never be indifferent to the
  public good.
• back to TASTE!

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Humes Discussion of Taste

• A standard of taste will be a rule by which
  the various sentiments of men may be reconciled
  6
• See 3 for discussion of reason
  language
• This standard is not a priori. 9 a priori
  prior to or apart from experience
• Not an unchanging abstraction based in reason.
• Based on experience and the observation of the
  common sentiments of human nature.
• From these observations and experiences we
  discover some general principles of praise and
  blame. 11- 12
• Since the sentiment is certain, the error will be
  with perception defects in the internal organs.

14
Hume's 5 reasons judgments of taste may go wrong

• 1. We may lack delicacy of imagination. 14
• 2. We may lack practice in experience of a
  particular art. 18
• 3. We may lack experience in making comparisons
  "between the several species and degrees of
  excellence and estimating their proportion to
  each other. 20
• 4. We must reserve our mind free from all
  prejudice -- considering only the object 21
• 5. We may lack good sense. 22

15
Role of sense organs in judgments of taste

• What about the relationship Hume states as
  existing between defects in the sense organs and
  defects in aesthetic judgment? 12-13
• What problems do these defects create for a
  judgment of value in art?
• Does this make sense to you?

16
Two questions for you!

• 1. Hume believes that all general rules of art
  are based on experience, not on a priori
  reasoning. 9
• -- is this consistent with your
  experience of art?
• 2. Hume believes that the greatest works of art
  are universal -- i. e. appreciated in all times
  and places. 23
• -- is this consistent with your own
  experiences of art?
• -- can you think of examples that support
  Humes view? That dont support his view?

17
Preview ComparisonKant/Hume on taste

• Hume taste is a matter of perception
• relation between perception and judging
• the general rules of art are founded on
  experience
• Kant- argues that taste is indifferent to what
  is pleasure
• As you read Kant ask yourselves why?
• Hints Relationship to the agreeable--
  finality of form -- based on pure ideas
• Question to consider What is the relationship
  between perception pleasure?

18
Kant/Hume

• Can we reduce aesthetics to a singularly
  intellectual analysis?
• .
• "A pure judgment of taste has, then, for its
  determining ground neither charm nor emotion, in
  a word, no sensation as a matter of the
  aesthetics judgment."
• Kant SS 16
• .
• How might Hume respond?
• Why isnt taste and thus aesthetics a matter
  for our cognitive capacity according to Hume?