Beauty is often defined as an aesthetic quality of things which makes these things enjoyable to perceive. These things include sunsets, landscapes, beautiful humans and beautiful works of art. Beauty, along with beauty, is perhaps the most important topic of aesthetics, among the various branches of applied philosophy. In fact, aesthetics has been called the science of beauty, and aesthetics is often used in order to criticize or explain aesthetic phenomena.
The word beauty comes from a Latin phrase, aestesis, that means beauty. The Latin phrase is therefore, “aesthetic sense.” We can trace the concept of beauty back to the earliest of times. One early example of this is the work of ancient Greek sculptor Archontes of Athens, who is associated with the idea of physical beauty. His work has become one of the influences for the concept of classical aesthetics.
Modern people have, on the other hand, associated beauty with other things like money, talent or status. However, the two concepts are not unrelated. One can be a beauty and the other be a lure or a scam. The lure for some people may be money, while others may be attracted to the thought of getting famous. People also tend to see beauty in things like clothes or makeup, which are seen as items of beauty.
Beauty is not, however, merely what people imagine to be. It is also a practical matter, as beauty is often reflected in how people carry themselves and how they carry their emotions. In fact, many philosophers and artists argue that we are in the position to know what is not beauty, because beauty is always a reflection of what people conceive of as beauty. Therefore, it follows that the criteria of beauty change over time.
People tend to develop certain stereotypes about what is considered to be beauty. For instance, Asian women are often associated with grace and submissiveness and those who belong to ethnic or cultural groups defined as “cultured,” are often thought to be delicate and shy. Those who belong to certain classes such as the educated, professional, and intellectual are considered to have values that are in line with beauty standards. Thus, things like intelligence and professional achievement can be seen as grounds for beauty standards.
Women’s magazines are filled with advertisements that offer beauty tips and tricks. These things are necessary if one is to discover what is beauty. Advertisers are doing their best to get women to look their best, and thus, they can sometimes be helpful in this quest. However, it is important to remember that beauty is something that has to be inherited and found in the soul rather than just being seen through outer trappings.