Timothy Morton Argues Art Is Charismatic Causality in Object-Oriented Ontology

Philosopher Timothy Morton proposes that art operates as a fundamental causal force, not mere human decoration. Object-oriented ontology (OOO) views art as directly interfering with cause and effect, akin to magic or paranormal energy. Morton traces this conception through modernity's exclusion of charisma, from Max Weber's sociology to Franz Mesmer's animal magnetism. He links Neolithic agricultural logistics—beginning 12,500 years ago—to contemporary ecological crises, including the Sixth Mass Extinction Event and anthropogenic global warming. The Rothko Chapel exemplifies art's undeniable aura, which some, like Walter Benjamin's followers, find frightening. Morton references quantum entanglement, Erwin Schrödinger's nonlocality, and David Hume's skepticism about visible causality. The article, originally published in November 2015, critiques correlationism and substance ontology, arguing that appearance and essence are intertwined like a Möbius strip. Art's charismatic causality persists despite attempts to dismiss it as kitsch or demonic.