LECTURE 7

Theories of Beauty:
Aesthetic Idealism
MR. DAN RANDOLF PARCO FRANCIA
Instructor I
Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges
Nabua, Camarines Sur
 LESSON 7

1. RELATIVE BEAUTY. Consideration of beauty is subjective and

defends on the person looking at the thing. In this way it is said that
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

2. ABSOLUTE BEAUTY. It considers the view that a thing is beautiful by

virtue of itself. Beauty is objective, and resides in the thing regardless
of the people looking at it.

3. PLATO. Ancient Greek philosopher (348-267 BC) who formulated an

idealist and metaphysical theory of beauty. He wrote The Dialogue
and The Republic.

4. AESTHETIC IDEALISM. Theory of beauty which asserts that real

beauty is an idea that exist in the world of being. Things in this world
are beautiful as appearances of the idea of beauty. Art is beautiful as
imitation of things in this world.
 THEORIES
OF BEAUTY

Why are beautiful

things beautiful?

What is the essence

or nature of beauty?
 TWO WAYS OF
CONSIDERING BEAUTY

RELATIVE ABSOLUTE
“Beauty is in the eye of “Beauty is in the thing
the beholder.” itself.”

SUBJECT OBJECT
THEORIES OF BEAUTY
Aesthetic Idealism
Aesthetic Functionalism
Aesthetic Hedonism
Aesthetic Conventionalism
Aesthetic Psychologism
Aesthetic Formalism

Darwinian Theory
of Beauty, Dennis Dutton
 PLATO
348-267 BC
The Dialogue
The Republic

AESTHETIC IDEALISM
Philosophical Theory of Beauty
59a. Raphael, The School of Athens, 1511
 Raphael,
The School
of Athens
(Detail)

Leonardo
as Plato

Michelangelo
as Aristotle
MOSAIC

Plato’s
Academy
Plato’s theory of beauty is metaphysical. The
existence of beauty is like the existence of number,
truth or justice. Since the individual beautiful
things in this world change and pass away, they
are not, in reality, beautiful; they are beautiful
only as appearances of the universal form of
beauty, like the reflection in a mirror. Plato would
like to expel the mimetic artists from the state
because they make people ignorant by bringing
them two times farther away from reality.
 AESTHETICS
PLATONISM

AESTHETICS BEAUTY UGLY

is is is
Logic Truth Falsity
Metaphysics Reality Illusion
Epistemology Knowledge Ignorance
Ethics Good Evil
 AESTHETIC PLATONISM
Ignorance Art Studies Philosophy Knowledge
WORLD OF WORLD OF WORLD OF
ART BECOMING BEING

IMITATION APPEARANCE REALITY

Illusory Changing Unchanging
Temporal Eternal
Illusion Artist Individual Demiurge Universal
COPY THING FORM

Painting of Chair Material Chair Idea of Chair

ARTISTIC PHYSICAL METAPHYSICAL
Beautiful Artworks Beautiful Things Idea of Beauty
PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

ART

Inside the Cave Outside the Cave

THIS WORLD REAL WORLD
PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

ART

Inside the Cave Outside the Cave

THIS WORLD REAL WORLD
PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

ART

Inside the Cave Outside the Cave

THIS WORLD REAL WORLD
 AESTHETICS IDEALISM

Things in this world are beautiful as

appearances of the reality or idea of beauty
or the universal form of beauty existing
in the world of being.

Art is beautiful as
imitations of things in this world.

Art is the imitation

of the appearance of reality
IMITATION OF
PHYSICAL CHAIR

Van Gogh,
Chair with a Pipe
 42b
Leonardo,
Portrait of
Ginebra
d’Benci

IMITATION OF
A PHYSICAL
WOMAN
Van Gogh,
Sunflower
Cezanne,
Still Life
with
Apples
AESTHETIC IDEALISM BY PLATO
IDEA
Beauty of Forms Metaphysical
REALITY Chair

MATTER
Beauty of Things Physical
APPEARANCE Chair

ART Artistic
Beauty of Imitation Chair
ILLUSION