Richard Prum (William Robertson Coe Professor of Ornithology at Yale University) released a new book called The Evolution of Beauty. Perhaps, there is an aesthetic component to evolution? Philosopher Alva Noë reviews this book here.
Tag: beauty
The Rising Stairs of Beauty
One goes always upwards for the sake of this Beauty, starting out from beautiful things and using them like rising stairs. - Plato, Symposium, 211c In the Summer 2017 issue of ArchitectureBoston, Michael Spicher presents some philosophical reflections on striving for beauty, even though we may not have a perfect definition of it. For a pdf … Continue reading The Rising Stairs of Beauty
Beauty as an Indicator in Physics
“One goes always upwards for the sake of this Beauty, starting out from beautiful things and using them like rising stairs.” -Plato, Symposium, 211c Einstein, defending his theory of general relativity, claimed that it was too beautiful, so it could not be false. Beauty has been a motivation and an indicator for many scientists (maybe … Continue reading Beauty as an Indicator in Physics
The Frivolity of Beauty?
We often think of beauty in terms of 'nice', like it's something nice to have. But, we continue, it isn't really necessary. It's something that we add to our lives, if and only if everything else is in order. We have occasion to experience beauty during times of stress, but this is surely only accidental. … Continue reading The Frivolity of Beauty?
Beauty and Truth in Scientific Research
Beauty has motivated many scientists to research the world. Since many consider beauty to be subjective, this may seem a strange motivation for a field that is considered mostly objective. Ashutosh Jogalekar offers an idea about the relationship between beauty and truth in scientific research. Click here for the article.
Medieval Aesthetics
An encyclopedia entry by Michael Spicher: Medieval Theories of Aesthetics. In this article, I explain some of the major influences, concepts, and thinkers in the Medieval period.
Why Do We Thrive on Self-Expression?
Art is meant to be experienced. Recently in Massachusetts, there was a major push to promote the arts. Social media lit up with people holding signs that read why the arts matter—which was genuinely encouraging to see. I love art, and I commend their enthusiasm. But I’m always surprised by how many people rest their … Continue reading Why Do We Thrive on Self-Expression?
Know Yourself! (… and your Body)
Recently, I took a trip with my wife to Budapest. On our way back to the States, we stopped in Germany. At the terminal, we sensed we were in the presence of Americans. Did we see their blue and gold passports? No. Did we hear them speak and recognize their accents? No. What gave it … Continue reading Know Yourself! (… and your Body)