Beauty is defined as “that which pleases the eye”. It includes aesthetic principles and qualities such as colour, form, weight and gender. However, it is also a subjective term. The definition of beauty can vary across cultures and times, and controversies over what is beautiful often occur.
Most philosophers have considered the definition of beauty as an objective quality. Some of the eighteenth century philosophers who have contributed to this debate include Hume and Kant. A few philosophers, such as Plotinus, have given the idea of beauty a purely ecstatic aspect. For example, Plotinus wrote about the joy of longing, love, wonderment, and participation in Forms. These writers argue that beauty is a response to our sense of desire, which is a part of the sphere of manifestation.
Aristotle’s aesthetics were Christianized by Thomas Aquinas, who gave three qualifications for the beauty of an object: it must have integrity, its purpose must be valid, and it must be suited to the person who experiences it. As such, beauty is a rule of good design. This explanation is a good basis for a unified theory of beauty, if it satisfies criteria for a unified theory.
Other theories consider beauty to be a subjective experience. Santayana, for example, believed that an individual’s experience of beauty is personal and profound. He also argued that the meaning of life could be found in the experience of beauty. In this regard, he criticized a distinction between fine art and craft, arguing that the art of performing a practical task well can have a special pleasure.
Another approach considers beauty to be a product of nature. While Kant argued that all beauty is a result of human design, Aquinas believed that aesthetics are rules of good design that must be a natural result of the way things are made.
Finally, another concept defines beauty as an object’s relationship with its surroundings. This means that a painting is beautiful if the painter has captured its surroundings, such as the light of the sun or the color of the sky.
One of the most prominent approaches to beauty involves the idea of a “sweet spot” between order and chaos. Alan Moore, for example, argues that beauty is the result of a person’s sense of purpose. Patagonia is one example of a company that has a strong sense of purpose.
Beauty is an important concept in design, as it is used in every project. It is crucial to understand what beauty is, and how it can be defined. To that end, this article will discuss major theories of beauty, and how they fit together. We will also explore how culture influences our conception of beauty.
In the past, defining beauty was often a matter of deciding whether something is beautiful in relation to its appearance. However, in the 20th century, it became subject to moral and political critique. Often, society reinforces stereotypical ideas about beauty, leading people to go to extremes in order to fit in.