Research On Agnes Heller’s Moral Aesthetics

“Modernity” is a special historical period,“paradox” can be said to be the main feature of this period,“paradox of modernity” is a sharp contrast between the high development of human civilization and the tragic situation of human social life.The reason behind it can more or less always come down to the lack of moral responsibility of human individuals.In this context,many western scholars in the 20 th century have consciously reflected on the spiritual crisis and modernity problems of modern people with individual moral responsibility as the core with a high sense of historical responsibility from the standpoint of moral criticism.Among them,Agnes Heller is an outstanding representative.Heller pursued the unremitting pursuit of human morality with aesthetics as the starting point.Starting from the concrete situation of human existence under the conditions of modernity,Heller points out the relativistic condition of morality under the conditions of modernity,and very keenly reveals the connection between the problem of modernity and the moral condition of the modern world,constructing a unique moral aesthetics from the awakening of individual responsibility and individual morality.On the basis of sorting out the historical background and theoretical sources of Heller’s moral aesthetics,this paper makes a specific study and analysis of the basic content and uniqueness of Heller’s moral aesthetics from five aspects: problem orientation,concept definition,theoretical premise,constructive path and value purpose.First of all,this paper tries to clarify that Heller’s moral aesthetics,as the core content of her ideological theory,is a theory that helps modern people to “become what they are” through aesthetics,or a theory that guides people towards goodness and promotes the creation of personality.Secondly,this paper thinks that Heller’s moral aesthetics is adapted to the modern background.Her aesthetic approach to the fate of modernity offers a unique solution to the increasingly complex and unsolved crisis of modernity,which has important theoretical value and enlightenment significance.Finally,this paper reflects on Heller’s idea of moral aesthetics from the perspective of Marxist philosophy,pointing out that although Heller’s path to overcome the crisis of modernity through aesthetics has utopian overtones,her moral aesthetics still provides a unique and informative insight into modern individuality and people’s pursuit of the “good life”.Heller’s moral aesthetic thought is grounded in the real context of the crisis of modernity,and undoubtedly provides a new dimension for the change of modern people’s living situation and the development of modern aesthetics,which has important theoretical value and inspirational significance.Heller’s moral aesthetics provides a necessary and useful reference to guide individuals in their search for the value of individual existence and the meaning of life in the pluralistic and heterogeneous modern world.Her theoretical reflection on the existential dilemma of modern people and the crisis of modernity is also an inheritance and development of Marxist humanitarian thought.Heller’s moral aesthetics is an important theoretical resource that can be drawn upon for the construction of contemporary Chinese aesthetics and ethics,and is of great theoretical and practical significance.