The world is filled with a myriad of forms of beauty. From the patterns of nautilus shells to the colors of eucalyptus trees in bloom, to the vast vistas of swirling galaxies, beauty can be found in the most ordinary objects. Its complexity speaks to the imagination and inspires awe.
Beauty is the manifestation of the Goodness and Truth of God. Though the world is full of imperfections, it still bears the mark of its Creator. Although beauty in the created world is imperfect, God’s goodness and truth are perfect. His beauty is the manifestation of his glory. This beauty can be seen even in fictional worlds.
Some examples of beauty include a work of architecture (a building, bridge, or highway), a work of music (rock, opera, and classical), a dance performance (ballet, music video), or a theatrical work (play, film, or television commercial), and more. The definition of beauty varies in different cultures.
Until the eighteenth century, most philosophical accounts of beauty considered beauty as a quality of an object that gave a person or thing pleasure. Consequently, Augustine explicitly asks in De Veritate Religione whether things are beautiful if they give delight to the senses or because they evoke our desire.
The nature of beauty has been a central issue for philosophers and the history of aesthetics. Throughout history, beauty has been considered a value that transcends the physical realm, and it has been a subject of intense debate. Although the concept of beauty has been defined differently for different cultures, it has always been a fundamental question in philosophical aesthetics.
Santayana believed that the experience of beauty could be profound and meaningful. He believed that it could be the meaning of life itself. But it can also be subjective. Ultimately, beauty is a very personal experience. And this makes it impossible to categorize beauty in the same way that we value food, clothing, or a house.
There are many facets of beauty that we cannot see. In fact, the definition of beauty depends on our individual preferences and our innate sense of beauty. For example, some people may not find a piece of art beautiful simply because they like the color. Others may find it aesthetically pleasing, but this is not the same as being beautiful.