Physiognomy Physiognomy Physiognomy (from the Greek φύσις "physis" meaning "nature" and "gnomon" meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is a practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. It is often linked to racial and sexual stereotyping. The term can also refer to the general appearance of a person, object, or terrain without reference to its implied characteristics—as in the physiognomy of an individual plant (see plant life-form) or of a plant community (see vegetation). Credence of such study has varied. The practice was well accepted by the ancient Greek philosophers, but fell into disrepute in the
Language and Human Nature Language and Human Nature Language and Human Nature is a joint literature project that was begun, but never completed, between C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. In the 1940s, a news release from Lewis and Tolkien's publisher had announced that the book was to be published in 1950. However, the book was not published, and until 2009, scholars had believed that the draft of the book had never been started. In 2009, Steven A. Beebe, Regents’ Professor and Chair of the Texas State University Department of Communication Studies, discovered the beginning pages of the manuscript in the Oxford