Ethical Issues

From “Beauty is Nowhere” -Critical voices in Art Theory Culture ( ethical issues in Art and Design ) Edited by Richard and Susan Roth

A collection of essays and articles on these issues

Page 5 in the introduction states that we need to maintain a reasonable balance between
“products use , value and its economical, social and environmental costs “.
“contemporary artists and designers are agents and initiators of new social realisations and these realisations are essentially ethical.”

P45.
“Towards the Spiritual in Design “ by Victor Papaneck
“It is the intent of the designer as well as the intended use of the designed object that can yield the spritual value . The questions that must be asked are
Will the design significantly add to the sustainability of the environment ?
Can it make life easier for some group that has been marginalized by society?
Can it save irreplaceable resources ?
Positive responses to these questions nourish our soul . This is where spiritual values enter design “
There are analogies here with Buddhist study and practice on awareness and ethics . That we are all ultimately responsible for ourselves and need to take these responsibilities on board in order to sustain ourselves and our planet . We can no longer hand over or expect to be supported by the state or put the blame on the outside world .