Beauty is an object or idea that evokes an emotional response or interest in the observer. It can be defined in a variety of ways and is typically associated with a particular philosophy or mindset.
The concept of beauty can be traced back at least to ancient Greek thought. During the Middle Ages, the term was used to describe aesthetic excellence in art. It was considered to be a measure of the quality of the work, not only its practical value, but also its moral, religious or political worth.
One of the early philosophies that sought to understand beauty was that of the Euclidean tradition. In this approach, beauty is identified with symmetry and ratio. For example, the golden ratio is thought to be an important feature of beautiful objects.
Another aspect of beauty that was emphasized in the early philosophical tradition is integrity. This means that things must be perfect or faultless. For example, an apple is considered to be beautiful if it is free of cracks or imperfections.
Other important aspects of beauty are proportion and harmony. For example, a tree is beautiful if its branches are symmetrical and the trunk is not too long or too wide. Similarly, human faces are beautiful when they are symmetrical.
There are also some important scientific studies that show that certain patterns of brain activity are linked with viewing something that is considered beautiful. Scientists are still trying to figure out what these patterns are, but they are thought to be related to the experience of seeing something as beautiful.
A lot of different cultures have their own ways of determining what is beautiful and how they see it. These differences in culture are a result of the social structures that govern what is considered beautiful and how it is valued.
Despite these differences, there are some basic principles that apply across cultures. For example, in Western cultures, it is considered important for something to be symmetrical. Likewise, it is important for something to be brightly colored.
Some of these criteria are similar to those that apply to other art forms. For example, in a feminine aesthetic, it is important for an image to depict a mother and child.
The problem with these definitions is that they are subjective and often depend on the emotions of the individual. This is why it can be difficult to determine what makes a piece of art beautiful.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, beauty came to be understood as a subjective pleasure or desire. Theorists such as David Hume and Kant argued that it was not necessarily possible for all people to agree on what beauty was or how it was perceived. Nevertheless, it was a subject that continued to be discussed in the modern period.
Aristotle, for example, wrote about the importance of symmetry and beauty in his Metaphysics. He also said that an artwork was not beautiful if it did not have the three qualities of integrity, due proportion and harmony.