The concept of Beauty has been a puzzle for philosophers and poets for ages. We all have a sense of what we find beautiful, and there are certain things that make us feel a deep sense of pleasure. This is because it evokes emotions in our mind and soul.
But how is this feeling created? Is it just in the eye of the beholder? Or is there a deeper definition of beauty that we all can understand?
In this episode of TEDTalks, John and Ken explore the definition of beauty, from its origins to its modern-day applications. They also look at the question of whether or not there are objective standards when it comes to beauty.
The idea of beauty is a complex one, and has changed dramatically over time. From fetishising plumpness to signify wealth in Renaissance times, to 90s heroin chic waifs, and today’s Kardashian-esque big asses, little waists – the idea of what is beautiful has been a subject of constant change and debate.
A good place to start is with Plato, who identifies the beauty of an object or a human being as its proportion and symmetry. This is a form of mathematical beauty, which can be summed up by the golden ratio: 1.618. This formula is based on the idea that dividing an object into unequal parts results in a whole that is to the long part as the short part is to the longer one.