Kronman doesn't speak of "maya." He focusses on the Western traditions.

As I recall, his discussion of the aesthetic perspective is metaphysical, especially in his elaboration on Nietzsche, so it's not about traditional art and art viewers. The concept of art there is an extended one. I don't necessarily follow Kronman's case since I have problems with both Nietzsche and Spinoza. But his argument for the priority of an aesthetic perspective certainly interests me.

Of course the world doesn't need justification. The world existed before there was anyone to try to justify it. The question is whether intelligent beings can fulfill their potential without doing what the world can't do itself, which is to redeem the world against all odds. Or perhaps the world is "trying" to justify itself through us.

Morality is inherent in macro-level causality? That's an intriguing proposition.