Beauty is a quality or combination of qualities that pleases or satisfies the senses or mind, as by harmony of form or color, proportion, authenticity, and originality. It is often associated with properties of symmetry, definiteness, and order, and it has a special place in classical aesthetics and in philosophy.
The concept of beauty has long been subject to adulation and controversy, ranging from Plato’s ideas about the soul and its immortality to modern neuro-psychological research on how beauty can affect our mental and physical health. The meaning of the word ‘beauty’ has shifted over time, from an emphasis on sensual pleasures to a more encompassing approach that includes moral qualities and high social status.
Aristotle conceived beauty as a quality that must be present in order for a thing to be beautiful. In his Poetics, he wrote that “a beautiful thing must have a certain symmetry, and it must present its parts in an arrangement of equals, as in music and architecture.”
Ancient philosophers such as Aristippus of Cyrene also recognized the existence of beauty. For example, Socrates defined it as “what is suited to use.”
Another view of beauty holds that it has no objective basis. Instead, it is a label that we attach to different sorts of experiences, based on a combination of cultural and personal preferences. For instance, some people find picking flowers in a Montana field to be beautiful while others think that surfing a gigantic wave in Hawaii is beautiful.
Contemporary writers have pushed for a reexamination of the term ‘beauty’ in light of its changing role in society. They have argued that beauty is a vital impulse that can be as liberating or limiting as other concepts, such as masculinity and femininity.
Many feminists argue that the word ‘beauty’ is a double-edged sword that can be used to promote societal standards of perfection or undermine them. They believe that beauty can be a tool for advancing women’s rights and that it is not only possible, but necessary, to make the most of a person’s unique characteristics.
The word ‘beauty’ has also been used to describe people who are successful, regardless of their looks or physical attributes. This is especially true for people who are able to accomplish great things despite a lack of physical attractiveness.
This has led to the development of a new concept of beauty. According to Peg Zeglin Brand, a psychologist at Harvard University, “Beauty is the ability to be who you are and have the confidence that you can do it.”
A recent article on Huffington Post suggests that beauty is a universal human quality. It is something that is present in everyone’s mind and body and has the potential to transform the way we see ourselves. This idea is supported by the fact that most people have at least one positive attribute about themselves, whether it is their personality, their sense of humor or their ability to overcome adversity.