The Connexion Between Taste and Morals: Two lectures

"The Connexion Between Taste and Morals: Two lectures" by Mark Hopkins is a pair of scholarly talks that unpacks the relationship between having good taste and being a good person. Hopkins, a well-known religious thinker and teacher, makes the case that when people appreciate beauty in art and the world around them, it helps them build a strong moral compass. Throughout the lectures, he carefully breaks down what taste really means, from how we develop it to how it can bring us joy and even protect us from doing wrong. Hopkins believes that people with a keen sense of taste are more likely to find pleasure in wholesome activities, making them less likely to fall into bad habits. He also points out similarities between what we find beautiful—like balance and order—and what we consider morally right. In essence, the lectures champion the idea that honing one's taste can lead to stronger morals and a better society.