Philosophy of Beauty

A person is beautiful when they exude a loving presence and make people feel at ease. Beauty is also determined by one’s figure, mainly by the waist-to-hip ratio. However, many people are unhappy with their bodies and feel ugly if they do not fit a certain size or shape. Ashley Pennewill of A Clean Mind Coaching & Counseling says that true beauty comes from the inside out, not the outside in. “If you love yourself for who you are, you’ll be more comfortable being around others,” she said.

Throughout the history of philosophy, different philosophers have offered numerous accounts of beauty. Some, like Kant’s, have emphasized the pleasure beauty elicits in us; others, such as Augustine and Plotinus, connect it to our response to love and desire. Yet still others, such as Plato in the Symposium and Polus in the Enneads, locate beauty in their domain of the Forms.

Most modern philosophy has tended to treat beauty as a matter of taste rather than an objective quality, although some philosophers have attempted to revive the idea of a universal law of beauty. For example, the ancient Greek polymath philosopher Polyclitus wrote a treatise on beauty called The Canon. According to Polyclitus, a statue or other object is beautiful if its parts are in perfect proportion. For this reason, artists have often tried to follow the principles of the Canon.

Other philosophical approaches to beauty have focused on the importance of harmony in an object or a work of art. For example, philosophers such as John Locke and David Hume have argued that when objects are composed in a harmonious way, their features blend together in a pleasing manner. Some have even proposed that this harmony is an intrinsic property of an object.

These attempts to give a scientific basis for beauty have been challenged by the fact that no scientific method can prove whether an object is truly beautiful or not. In addition, scientists tend to disagree on what makes something beautiful. For example, some scientists believe that an object is beautiful if it is well-made or if its colors are pleasing.

Despite these disagreements, it is generally agreed that beauty can be subjective. This is because beauty is a feeling or emotion that can be influenced by our cultural and social norms. Additionally, a person’s definition of beauty can vary depending on their mood or the way they perceive an object.

Regardless of its subjective nature, the concept of beauty remains an important aspect of human life. For this reason, it is essential to understand the concept of beauty in order to be able to appreciate works of art and interact with other people. Moreover, understanding the concept of beauty can help you decide whether to pursue a career in art.