Fénykép és etika. Vakfolt az etikatörténetben, rejtett szál a 20. századi fotóelméletekben
Photography and Ethics: Blind Spot in the History of Ethics, Hidden Thread in 20th-Century Photographic Theory

Summary/Abstract: In my study, I explore key problems, contexts, and scientific stakes in the theoretical writings of three influential twentieth-century photo theorists: Walter Benjamin, Roland Barthes, and Susan Sontag. Each of these authors articulated their moral dilemmas in the context of photography. My hypothesis is that analyzing the reference points and contexts of these dilemmas reveals structural principles that are often overlooked today, yet remain valid and unavoidable for understanding photography and many contemporary photographic practices – despite technological developments. I also argue that one of the central aims of these photo theories – different in detail but converging in direction – is to address a gap in the history of science by treating photography as an ethically charged object of research and, avant la lettre, by calling for the development of photo ethics. At the same time, these theories enable – and indeed necessitate – the articulation of a “categorical imperative” of photography, which could serve as a foundation for moral norms and legislative practices.

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