Is there such a thing as objective beauty, or is beauty a purely subjective value? What, or who decides or defines what is beautiful? Or ugly? Or sublime?
I never could get the hang of Thursdays. - Arthur Dent
On eman’s pornography is another man’s art.
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Satan
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I think beauty is definately in the eye of the beholder. And it’s a good thing too, or else we would all desire the exact same thing, and the rest we be left out in the cold. I personally have found, that when I was dating (before I settled down to get married), that the people I was most attracted to were people that I didn’t necissarily find to be ‘great looking’, but over time they not only became the ‘best’ looking thing out there, but I found I was more interested in things other than the outward appearence, but as sappy as it sounds, it was their in self that drew mw to them more than anything else 
Jesus said…
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
John 14:11 “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”
Well, as with both things - some of both?
Some things are beautiful regardless of who is describing it. I’ve seen sunsets that, if you didn’t agree it was beautiful, I’d probably contact the IMS to let them know that an alien from another planet was walking amoung us.
Many other things are not so clear.
Sorry, should have read…
“As with most things”
Uhm, and the INS. Crap. Take this thing away from me.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.”–Unknown.
Lately, I’ve been coming to the idea that the human mind does not transcend to true objectivity. Every human thought is subject to itself. Therefore even our logic, reason, and mathematics are our very own and not universal as we usually think. Stupid, huh?
I should go get a hobby or something…
There’s always another beer.
OK, what about objective truth?
I never could get the hang of Thursdays. - Arthur Dent
<<OK, what about objective truth?>>
agisofia, do you mean, in the sense of truth with the facts that are known, or Truth being absolute certainty?
Objective truth, if you mean, the facts that are known, would most likely be individualized. I believe that ‘goodness’ ought to be relatively easy to tell, because of the obviousness of ‘badness’ (sorry 'bout that) We all seem to know what is true in hypothetical terms at times, but more certain when it is applied to us personally.
There is another thread that argues whether Monica Lewinsky is ‘right’ in representing the Jenny Craig weight loss centers. To Ms. Lewinsky, we can all guess, she is absolutely right. But is she?? Given the facts, she did it for the money, and she got paid, then HER truth is right. But to me as a consumer, I think her behavior is such that I have to wonder at a company that would employ someone like Ms. Lewinsky to represent their product. That, then, becomes MY truth. I wouldn’t go to Jenny Craig.
Is this what you mean?? Or am I again, floating up the wrong stream??
Absolute truth would be: I post, therefore, I am. Oh, brother, that stinks SO bad!!
I had all night to think about the fact I put my ‘subbie’ before my ‘obie’.
Sorry 'bout that agisofia, subjective truth would be the Lewinsky point of view, or particular to the individual. Objective truth would be a fact, not influenced by opinion, or life experience.
Have a good day!
“Consider it a challenge…”
Ok, Antipro, good point. The question about truth, by the way, is open to interpretation. The one about beauty, I hope, does not require interpretation.
I never could get the hang of Thursdays. - Arthur Dent
See the February issue of Discover. Studies have shown that there is a consensus on beauty. Or rather, two consensues. Basically, a face created by averaging the traits of 16 or more real faces is found by most people to be more attractive than all but the prettiest “real” faces. Other researchers, looking at the traits that separate an attractive face from an average one, come up with the concept of “hyper-femininity.” It’s all quite interesting. Plus, some hot computer-generated babes!
“The dawn of a new era is felt and not measured.” Walter Lord
Check out the Atheist (Non)Religion, Part II thread, where both topics (objectivity of truth and beauty) have been dealt with recently (don’t ask).
I suppose it would be too much a wisecrack to point out that both truth and beauty are quarks, and therefore the underlying nature of all matter. I see this as somehow profound, not just a play on words.
Ignore that man behind the curtain. There is no Atheist (Non)Religion thread. It is merely a figmation of your imagiment. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
“It is lucky for rulers that men do not think.” — Adolf Hitler
Gosh,just got a nice photo of my honey(he’s gorgeous!) :o
Orangecakes, just remember that that particular picture was taken when I was a skinny 20-year-old. :o
“God would never let me be happy. He’d kill me first.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in God.”
“I do for the bad things.” - George Costanza
Theres just more to hug,nowadays! :o
Much, much more! < g >
“God would never let me be happy. He’d kill me first.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in God.”
“I do for the bad things.” - George Costanza
Sofia, I think we can only have degrees of objectivity. Everything we see, hear, taste, smell, etc is filtered and judged as it comes in, therefore the output is always going to be somewhat skewed according to our beliefs, values, whatever. I’m interested in whether that Discover article experiment was based on a purely european sample of people or was it a worldwide concensus? I don’t think there would be so much agreement if you did an international survey, showing how much our perception is so culturally biased. “Sorry, but I just don’t think that big-ass disk in your lip or those rings around your neck or the bones through your cheeks are cute, honey…” 
“How’d you get your mind to tilt like your hat?”
-The Thrashing Doves
I wouldn’t care if you weighed 500 lbs.Thats what I mean by the eye of the beholder…