<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The view that music can have a positive or negative effect on a person’s character has been defended throughout the history of philosophy. This paper traces some of the history of the ethos theory and identifies a version of the theory that could be true. This version of the theory can be traced to Plato and Aristotle and was given a clear statement by Herbert Spencer in the nineteenth century. The paper then examines some of the empirical literature on how music can affect dispositions to behave and moral judgement. None of this evidence provides much support for the ethos theory. The paper then proposes a programme of research that has the potential to confirm the ethos theory.</p>
</abstract>

The view that music can have a positive or negative effect on a person’s character has been defended throughout the history of philosophy. This paper traces some of the history of the ethos theory and identifies a version of the theory that could be true. This version of the theory can be traced to Plato and Aristotle and was given a clear statement by Herbert Spencer in the nineteenth century. The paper then examines some of the empirical literature on how music can affect dispositions to behave and moral judgement. None of this evidence provides much support for the ethos theory. The paper then proposes a programme of research that has the potential to confirm the ethos theory.

Assessing the Ethos Theory of Music

Disputatio

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Assessing the Ethos Theory of Music"}

The view that music can have a positive or negative effect on a person’s character has been defended throughout the history of philosophy. This paper traces...

Assessing the Ethos Theory of Music

Published Online: Nov 28, 2022

Page range: 283 - 297

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/disp-2021-0015

Keywords
character, ethos theory, music

© 2021 James O. Young, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Assessing the Ethos Theory of Music

Published Online: Nov 28, 2022

Page range: 283 - 297

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/disp-2021-0015

Keywordscharacter, ethos theory, music

© 2021 James O. Young, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
character, ethos theory, music