Why Evolutionary Realism in Art

Art is an imitation of some sort, as Aristotle thought, but more importantly art values the thing represented, the content of the thing represented. For example, great art is often an affirmation of the sacred as defined by the culture. In traditional or classical art, low art it usually a less sophisticated version of high art. In modern times most art is minor or low art which usually negates or denies the sacred.

Realism remains the best way to affirm the sacred, but then Evolutionary Realism takes into account change within the Ordered Evolution of life, which is the authentic conservative perspective. Unrealistic art can of course affirm the sacred but it is less suited to reaching the people and the culture with its message.

Hume thought the principles of taste are generally uniform in human nature but human nature is capable of corruption, systematic mistakes, and ethnic differences (for more on this see the excellent “The Art Instinct” by Denis Dutton). Without human nature, judgments on art would collapse into personal preferences---interesting that postmodernism has rejected human nature and rejected essences and therefore promotes a complete relativity in taste.

Life never ceases to evolve toward ascending levels of Godhood, with stops and starts along the way, and Evolutionary Realism seems best suited to affirm this sacred mission in culture.