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If there were no God, there would be no Atheists.
-G.K. Chesterson

Sunday, October 30, 2016

On Beauty

     Presently, in a philosophy class, we're going over Plato's concept of "sensible particular" in The Republic. We, as it seems, are only able to have an opinion of something and deem it as beautiful or not. Because there are differing opinions, it seems to reflect something that is truly beautiful, possibly its form. Either way, he seems to be giving the basis of the cliche "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".
     I've often thought about that cliche. Is that which I hold to be beautiful only truly beautiful to me, and possibly no one else? Is something elevated to me only so to me. Maybe it would be better stated: is beauty thus subjective that it would be no different than a delusion in favor of something or someone? In a world of fragmented beauties, it seems as though every instance of declared beauty would be a singular psychotic episode. To say that something, or someone, is beautiful is to say that one's perception of reality is like a thumbprint, unique, and is so in that things, or person's, favor. If two men were to agree that a woman is beautiful, she could likely not be so, rather it would likelier be that those two men were just having the same psychotic episode simultaneously.
     Of course, that's silly. I have found myself agreeing with others that person X (always a woman) is beautiful. Likewise, I have heard others agreeing about someone else. If I knew that person they thought to be beautiful and if they knew the person I thought beautiful, we'd likely agree. But why? Do we all share the same eyes? Or could beauty be something outside of the beholder? ...maybe on the beautiful person herself? Thus, a grape-filled vineyard ready for the press, a woman's lovely, large brown eyes, a lush garden, or a piece of Bach well played are all beautiful, and are so without my opinion.