Is There Such a Thing As a Beauty?
Beauty is widely defined as a particular aspect of objects which makes those objects aesthetically pleasing to see. These objects include sunsets, landscapes, humans and artistic works of art. Beauty, along with beauty, is the ultimate concern of aesthetics, another of the major branches of fine art. It can be regarded as an abstract concept, existing without a parallel in the natural world. Therefore, all forms of beauty are subjective, although some forms of beauty are objectively determined. For instance, a sunset is an objectively measured aspect of the physical universe, whereas a landscape is perceived by human eyes in different ways.
Beauty has different levels of intensity, varying with different cultures and societies. In most cases, beauty has been seen as the pinnacle of aesthetic experience. Modern aesthetics in Western cultures tend to value the so-called critical degree as the point where an object is judged to be gratifying and rewarding for its own kind (e.g., a piano satisfying the aesthetic experience of a Mozart composition). However, some cultures share a positive attitude towards beauty, considering it as a natural phenomenon. For example, a sun setting over a mountain or the silhouette of a distant mountain in a still photograph. The depth and texture of these visual aspects are judged to be pleasing, whereas a sun setting over the flat landscape of suburbia does not possess the same aesthetic value.
Beauty is essential to the very essence of human life and therefore is a completely subjective concept, existing only in the mind of the beholder. Modern aesthetics and the process of beauty appreciation therefore, as with all other aesthetic judgments, are purely subjective, apart from any objective criteria. Subjective beauty is thus the basic mode of valuation of all aesthetic evaluation, irrespective of cultural background and context. While the objective criterion of beauty is the standards set by aesthetic judgement, beauty remains subjective to the extent that it is influenced by personal preferences and personal experiences. Thus, beauty remains a highly subjective concept and is not subject to a universal standard.
Some philosophers argue that beauty is nothing more than a “mere subjective ideal” that can be objectively evaluated. According to such philosophers like Kant, beauty is a purely subjective concept, and there is no such thing as beauty in reality. In fact, the philosophers feel that the only criterion of beauty is that which appeals to the senses of each individual beholder. Others, like Leibniz, reject this argument on the grounds that everyone has a different aesthetic sense. According to Leibniz, beauty consists of qualities that are “ontological” in nature, independent of our ability to see them, and that are independent of any object or material that we consider adequate to stand in the place of them.
Another argument against beauty that is frequently advanced is that beauty is merely a matter of opinion. What makes one thing beautiful and another unattractive is the subjective viewpoint of the beholder. According to this view, beauty depends on the point of view of each and every individual who see it. The beauty of a work of art, for example, may be beautiful to some but not to others. However, this argument fails to take into consideration the existence of objectively evaluate able characteristics such as proportion, contrast, and pattern. Beauty, being a purely subjective concept, cannot be measured.
In my opinion, the best way to define beauty is to think of it as an inherent quality or state of being that cannot be equated to any other quality or nature. Beauty exists in the eyes of the beholder, on the skin deep inside the viewer’s heart. For me, beauty is a state of total peace and wholeness that emanate from within. When I look into the eyes of a person with beauty in their eyes, I am immediately aware of their inner beauty and I feel connected to them on a spiritual level.