The Philosophy of Beauty:
“Beauty is the quality present in a
thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind,
whether arising from sensory manifestations ( as shape, color, sound, etc.), a
meaningful design pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high
spiritual qualities are manifest.)” (Dictionary.com) Though when it comes to
thinking of it philosophically beauty becomes much more than that, it becomes a
value. According to Plato, beauty is an idea or from in which beautiful things
were consequences. He expressed that on top of being able to identify a beautiful
person or a beautiful painting, we are also able to “ have a general conception
of Beauty itself, and we are able to identify the beauty in a person or a
painting only because we have this conception of Beauty in the abstract.” (Aquileana)
Meaning that the beautiful things we see are only beautiful because they
participate in the more general Form of Beauty. The Theory of Forms is a theory
that maintains two distinct levels of objective reality, “the visible world of
sights and sounds that we inhabit and the intelligible world of Forms that stands
above the visible world and gives it being.” (Aquileana)
The image on the left, shows theory of beauty failing
within aesthetics and artistic value. The University of Nottingham states that,
Aesthetic Value is the value that an object, event or state of affairs(most
paradigmatically an art work or natural environment) possesses in virtue of its
capacity to elicit pleasure( positive value) or displeasure( negative value)
when appreciated or experienced aesthetically. Artistic Value is the value something
that arises in the work of art itself and has its existential ground in that. Plato
considered beauty as objective in the sense that it was not localized in the
response of the beholder, rather by subjective judgement. Meaning each person
determines whether something is beautiful or not. Plato stated, that “beauty is
a pattern or form from which all beautiful things are deprived.” (Brown)
On
the other hand, Aristotle believed that beauty is above the useful and
necessary. In the Aristotle and Socrates article it states that, Aristotle argues
‘that the useful skills, such as reading, writing and drawing, will allow one
to experience beauty but are beautiful in themselves.” He goes on to say that
beauty is not within an object but rather leads to finding beauty. Socrates though
felt differently, he felt that an object greatly increases beauty, or even defines
its beauty. He also proposed that “beauty was not found in something that simply
gave delight as delight was able to be taken from God also. Socrates was convinced
that physical beauty was not to be trusted. For example, an evil ugly man
wearing rich and fine clothes may appear attractive to the eye,
but the clothes only mask the true ‘beauty’ of the character.” (IM)
My Thoughts on Beauty:
Aristotle believed that beauty was useful and necessary. (T/F)
How does Socrates view of
beauty differ from Plato’s view?
What is the example
Socrates uses to describe physical beauty?
Discussion Questions:
What is your definition of beauty?
How do you feel about Aristotle’s view on beauty?
How do you feel about Plato’s view on beauty?
Sources:
http://faculty.philosophy.umd.edu/jhbrown/beautyintro/
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I strongly agree with Plato's views on beauty. I bealieve that it's important that people know that beauty can not be defined by a society or group of people, but rather it is completely subjective to each individuals eye, and it should be recognized as that more often.
ReplyDeleteI would agree that not everyone finds the same beauty as the next. Its interesting to see what peoples view of beauty are and how they differ from person to person. I would say that everything and everyone holds beauty but up to what point do we find it to be beautiful.
ReplyDelete"According to Plato, beauty is an idea or from" - FORM, or Ideal eternal essence. Plato's idea about Ideas is that they're somehow more real: the abstract Idea(l) of Beauty is more beautiful than a beautiful person, place, or thing... Empiricists and pragmatists find this exactly backward.
ReplyDelete