The ancient Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BCE) and Aristotle (384-322 BCE) both held an objective view of beauty, in which a given natural phenomenon or artifact could be judged beautiful on the basis of its innate properties. This classic approach, which relies on a set of criteria such as symmetry, order and proportion, still dominates philosophical discussions of beauty today. However, a surprisingly broad range of different approaches to or theories about beauty can be found in the literature. Some of these take a more subjective approach, whereas others are more analytical.
The philosopher William James (1804-1902), for example, argued that beauty was a “faculty of perception,” or something we could discern by observing and appreciating things in the world around us. He argued that beautiful things have a certain kind of perfection or order that makes them pleasing to the senses, particularly sight. For James, the most beautiful things were those that were harmonious with nature, such as a sunset or a well-designed building. Other beautiful objects included a musical composition, a piece of fine art, or a woman in a wedding dress.
A more modern view of beauty focuses on what is actually being perceived, rather than the pleasures or displeasures that might be associated with it. This has been referred to as the “phenomenological” approach to beauty. Some philosophers have criticized this, arguing that it can lead to a form of relativism or emotivism. For example, a person may be pleased by a painting but not by another because of varying cultural and personal beliefs about what constitutes beauty.
Another common approach to beauty has been the rationalist approach to aesthetics. In the early 19th century, philosophers such as Friedrich Schopenhauer, Hanslick and Bullough advocated that beauty is a judgment of objectivity, or the fact that an object gives the spectator a sense of satisfaction, enjoyment or pleasure. Others have pushed this idea further, including philosophers like Kant (1724-1804), who tried to rescue pre-Humean philosophy from Hume’s skepticism by making beauty an object of the objective senses.
Finally, the Christian philosopher Thomas Aquinas (1369-1321) emphasized that beauty is not merely an aesthetic concept but relates to God and His creation. He gave three qualifications for an object to be considered beautiful: it must have integrity, a sense of order, and a connection to the Second Person of the Trinity.
The TED talk below by philosopher Denis Dutton offers an unusual account of the origin of our concepts of beauty, based on evolution. It’s a fascinating, 15-minute presentation that is well worth watching. Please note that the TED website requires registration before you can view the video. MIT License (CC-BY-NC-ND)