What Is Beauty?
Beauty is commonly defined as a subjective quality of certain objects that makes those objects pleasurable to see. These objects could be sunsets, landscapes, beautiful humans or artistic works of art. Beauty, along with personal aesthetic sense, is currently the most popular topic of aesthetics, among the various branches of psychology. In aesthetics research, beauty has been found to have many complex emotional and psychological meanings.
It is a general assumption that we can say that beauty is subjective; that there is no standard beauty, and everyone has their own personal definition of beauty. The beauty-judgment tendency has been illustrated in several ways throughout history. The principle that beauty exists can be traced back to earliest man’s desire for physical beauty. Woman’s attractiveness was often judged based on the ease with which they could conceive children.
Through history and around the world, people have tried to define beauty. While the quest for beauty has been expressed differently throughout the eras, there are some basic aspects shared by all cultures. For instance, almost all cultures believe that beauty is skin deep. This is not to say that other characteristics, such as hair color, height and physical appearance, are not important; however, the perceived “appearance” of a person has been seen as the single most important factor in defining beauty. Humans share this same desire to physical beauty.
According to Aristotle, beauty is defined by three elements – a sensual form, a functional form and a proportionate nature. According to Richard W. Parks, “Sensation, appetite, care and skill combine to define beauty.” According to Halliday and Joseph, “the demand for beauty is universal and unlimited, regardless of race, nationality, or era.” According to Daniel Defoe, “The desire of the majority of men for beauty and the corresponding emotion are nearly identical.”
In recent years, the debate about beauty has become a hot topic in beauty – social, political, and cultural. Many people believe that beauty is inherent in all humans. According to Halliday, “There is nothing in the human species that is not beautiful – physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.” According to Park, “We think that beauty is subjective; but the facts are that all humans respond, through some process, to outside stimulation.”
The quest for beauty can be seen throughout history. In ancient Rome, the well-manicurist sculptors worked on marble statues of gods and goddesses, adorning their pieces with jewels and gemstones. In China, the mongs are large, square, solid masses of textured clay that are used to create works of art ranging from small figurines to large, intricately carved works of art depicting animals, plants and humans. In ancient Egypt, the mummies were carved and painted in complex patterns, many times adding the names of the individuals who had been buried with them. When the tombs were disassembled after the paintings were removed, the treasures that were unearthed along with the bodies were displayed as displays of beauty – both practical and aesthetic.