Beauty is one of those concepts that can be incredibly subjective, depending on who you talk to. Ask five friends what they think of as beautiful and you will probably get a variety of answers. Some people think that a certain look is beautiful, such as someone with facial symmetry or the right body weight. Others believe that beauty is based on personality, such as being kind and agreeable. Still others may believe that it is a combination of both, such as a person who has a nice smile and bright eyes.
The concept of beauty is a complex one that has been debated throughout history and continues to be debated today. Some philosophers, such as Plato (427-347 BCE) and Plotinus (Ennead I, 23), have viewed beauty as objective, meaning that it is not centered in the experience of the observer. Others, such as Aristotle (384-322 BCE), view beauty as a combination of both objective and subjective elements.
For example, Aristotle believed that the beauty of an object was based on the harmony between its various parts. He also believed that the beautiful object was one that was both useful and pleasant to the senses. His definition of beauty included qualities such as symmetry, order, balance and proportion.
In contrast, Plato believed that the beauty of an object was a matter of its being able to inspire love and desire in a person. He referred to this emotion as being the “form” of beauty. The beauty of an object was a function of the form, rather than its actual qualities.
Despite the polarization of philosophers’ views on beauty, most moderns have tended to view it as being mostly a matter of personal preference. This can be seen in the wide variation of beauty standards across cultures and times. For example, in some countries, women with a larger bust are considered to be more attractive than those with smaller ones. While in other countries, the opposite is true.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence in interest in beauty, especially within art and philosophy. Many of these attempts to rethink the concept are feminist-oriented and seek to bring back some of the classical philosophical notions of beauty, such as those expressed by Hume and Santayana.
Unlike mere philistinism, these approaches to the idea of beauty avoid the pitfalls of trivializing the concept and instead offer an opportunity to enrich our understanding of its value. For example, they can help us to appreciate that beauty in a work of art or craft goes beyond its utility to include the pleasure that it gives its audience, often described in ecstatic terms. Thus, the concept of beauty can become a vehicle for promoting social change. It is a tool that can be used to empower individuals, as they reclaim their power to define what is beautiful for themselves.