Beauty is a property or characteristic of an animal, idea, object, person or place that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure or satisfaction. It is studied in aesthetics, culture, social psychology, philosophy and sociology.
Aristotle defined beauty as the “most praised quality of an individual.” In this sense, it’s an essential component of human nature. It helps us develop a sense of ourselves, our place in the world and the meaning of life. It can help motivate cultural building, a personal quest for truth and goodness and a desire to live in harmony with our environment.
The Aristotle-inspired view of beauty has been influential in most Western philosophical and artistic traditions. This view, which is often expressed as a “classical conception” (meaning that it has its origins in classical Greek thought) focuses on a form of symmetry that explains the relation between the beautiful object and its parts. The golden ratio is the basis of this theory. This symmetry has been used for centuries in art and is now a scientific concept.
Science, Culture & Aesthetics
According to neuroaesthetics, the brain of the beholder is responsible for determining whether something is beautiful or not. This theory is based on research by Professor Semir Zeki, who studies the brain and how it perceives different qualities.
For example, he claims that when we look at someone’s face, we need to have a certain amount of visual parameters to see them properly. This includes the eyes, nose and lips. A small eye or a small nose on a large face will appear out of proportion and unattractive.
He also says that when we look at a landscape, it’s important to take into account the scale of the land and the size of the mountains. This will help determine whether the landscape is beautiful or not.
Another way that we define beauty is through our emotions. When we see someone who has a warm smile or is engaging with other people, that person’s happiness and positive emotions are what make them beautiful to us.
The same is true of the way we feel about nature, our families or other forms of beauty. When we feel good about ourselves, the world becomes a better place to live in.
It’s no surprise that people have been influenced by this philosophy since the beginning of time, but what happens when we lose sight of this goal? Things start to go wrong. Throughout history, people have found ways to destroy the natural world. Rape, senseless death and unstopped environmental decay are among the worst examples of beauty gone bad.
During the twentieth century, it became less and less clear that beauty was the primary purpose of art. This decline was in part due to the trivialization of the goal in artistic theory, but it was also made more problematic by its political and economic associations with wealth and power. It was particularly associated with capitalism and often used to justify hedonism and decadence, as in the paintings of Fragonard.