Beauty is an objective quality, one that provides a perceptual experience to our senses, whether it is pleasure or satisfaction. Various factors influence this perception, including the person’s physical appearance, age, race and gender.
It is easy to think that beauty is simply a matter of appearance. Yet the question of what is beauty is often debated. One example of this is the question of what constitutes a nice looking woman. A woman’s facial symmetry, as well as her posture, is considered to be important in making a person beautiful. However, many women have a hard time seeing their own beauty. The results of a study by Dove found that only 4% of women globally think of themselves as beautiful.
Another example of beauty is colour. Color is an essential part of human life, but color perception can differ according to the circumstances. For example, at noon an object may be seen as one color, and at midnight it may be seen as different colors. But there are also people who are color-blind.
There is an ancient belief that certain things are beautiful because they give pleasure. Augustine asks in De Veritate Religione whether things are beautiful because they are pleasing to the eye. And Plotinus writes about longing and wonderment.
Regardless of what you believe about beauty, the fact is that it is an important aspect of our society. We are constantly exposed to standards of beauty that shape how we feel about ourselves and our looks. This has a real effect on how we perceive ourselves, and how we treat others.
As a result, there is always a pressure to be attractive. This is particularly true for women, who have historically been under a great deal of pressure to fit into a particular beauty norm. Those who are less aesthetically pleasing are subject to a range of disadvantages, such as less favorable positions in work and relationships. Despite these challenges, society’s expectations of what constitutes beauty are still an important element of women’s lives.
While there are a number of different definitions of beauty, there is a universal conception that a woman’s facial symmetry is a key factor in her appeal. This concept is echoed in the works of a number of different philosophers, including Locke, Kant and Plotinus.
In addition to symmetry, beauty is sometimes defined in terms of color. For example, a white-haired woman is beautiful because she is light-coloured. Also, the presence of hair between the eyebrows is considered a good sign of female beauty, although it can be difficult to achieve.
In addition to these major theories of beauty, there are also other fads, like cosmetic surgery and braces. Although these options are expensive, they have become a necessity for many women.
If you are looking for a more detailed explanation of the different approaches to beauty, take a look at this article. It will detail the major concepts and provide a brief sketch of the debates.