Types of Beauty
Beauty is often described as the aesthetic quality of certain objects which makes these objects appealing to the senses. These objects may include sunsets, landscapes, human beings and beautiful works of art. Beauty, along with beauty and art, is probably the most important subject of aesthetics, among the major branches of aesthetics. Just like physical beauty, which is subjective, aesthetic beauty can be objective.
Subjective beauty is usually considered to be beauty that arises from the individual’s inner being. When a person meets another, for example, the first person’s perception of beauty will vary greatly from that perceived by another person. This is because the inner nature of each person is different. The things that appear beautiful to one may seem hideous to another. However, all things in nature are created equally and so in the end beauty in a physical form is pure unadulterated goodness. Aesthetic beauty therefore appears to be the ideal form of beauty.
Aesthetics can be divided into two branches, aesthetic psychology and aesthetic physiology. Aesthetic psychology studies the psychological basis of beauty. It tries to explain the connection between what is beautiful and why it is beautiful. Aesthetic psychology attempts to define beauty through the scientific study of physical nature. In this branch of study beauty varies according to the culture and time, but it is always associated with the beauty of human beings.
Aesthetic physiology studies the physical basis of beauty. It tries to explain the subjective aspects of beauty. We know that beauty has various characteristics. For example, a beautiful picture is one that reveals the details of a scene in a lucid and effective way. A beautiful dress can make you feel comfortable and at ease, while an elegant hairdo can fascinate you. Therefore, the physiological side of beauty focuses on the aspects that affect the bodily sensations involved.
Aesthetic science considers that there is more than just one kind of beauty. While some people see beauty in terms of physical attributes, others focus on the emotional aspects as well. Emotional beauty is beauty that involves your personal sentiments and how you see yourself. For example, if you think that your smile is beautiful then you will find that your smile turns into a habit. This means that, when you smile, your muscles contract and your face shows your enjoyment of your smile.
Charles Darwin was the first to explain the causes of beauty. He postulated that beauty is largely a matter of self-esteem and that an individual’s outward appearance reflects his innermost feelings. Thus, a person who is considered beautiful by her friends is not necessarily beautiful by her standards. Furthermore, an individual who is considered beautiful by her peer group may have very different preferences from her. Beauty therefore is a very subjective concept and depends on the audience and the personality of the individual who is rating the beauty.