Michael Costas, What is Beauty?

August 31, 2015

Definition of Beauty:

Beauty is that which is holy, unique, set apart, mysterious, and evokes a sense of awe, wonder, and creatureliness. 

Example of Beauty:

An ocean embodies beauty by its stunning and sublime appearance. Oceans also hide a whole other world of animals and ecosystems mysteriously thriving without human knowledge or control.

After Thoughts:

After some thought and discussion, the question “what is beauty?” has proven to be far more complex and multifaceted topic of inquiry than I ever anticipated. Listening to everyone in class share, question, and criticize the multifarious viewpoints of beauty, I observed that everyone assumes the objective reality of beauty. We have all grown up feeling, thinking, and saying certain things to be beautiful. However, for most of us, it may have been the first time we have ever seriously questioned why certain objects and experiences lead us to feel a certain way or what reality lies behind the beauty we claim that specific things embody. 

Many in the class seem to take the postmodern position that beauty is subjective to the individual. Another prevalent theme in the discussion was the connection between beauty and feelings. Are feelings and responsive impulses the only medium through which humans experience beauty or can beauty also be seen and perceived as an objective fact that seeks us out? A fair number of people attributed holiness and divine qualities to beauty, saying that all earthly beauty is merely a shadow of that which is supremely and preeminently Beautiful. Do beautiful things contain the complete essence we all long for or are they pointers to something else. Is the beauty we observe, here on earth, the fullest reality or does earthly beauty point to a higher reality?

After reflecting on the first week of class, I have more questions than answers about the nature of beauty. My initial inclination is to say that beauty is an objective reality that is subjectively experienced in varying degrees. We are all on a journey to learn how to articulate that ineffable, numinous awe that comes upon us when we encounter beauty.