Judges of elegance and taste consider themselves as…
“Judges of elegance and taste consider themselves as benefactors to the human race, whilst they are really only the interrupters of their pleasure ... There is no taste which deserves the epithet good, unless it be the taste for such employments which, to the pleasure actually produced by them, conjoin some contingent or future utility: there is no taste which deserves to be characterized as bad, unless it be a taste for some occupation which has mischievous tendency.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Taste is justified only by its utility; good taste serves pleasure and future benefit, while bad taste lacks such utility.
In simple terms: Taste depends on usefulness.
Key Takeaway
Evaluate taste by its benefit.
Themes
ethics
aesthetics
utility
philosophy
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- art criticism
- product design
- policy making
Key Concepts
utilitarianism
moral theory
cultural criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a taste useful?
- Can aesthetic value exist without utility?
A Different Perspective
Utility may be subjective.