Argumentative Essay: Philosophical Perspectives on Subjective Beauty

This argumentative essay explores the philosophical concept of subjective beauty. It begins by defining beauty as a human perception of pleasure in an object and then examines the historical association of beauty with virtues like goodness and truth. The essay delves into the contemporary view of beauty as illusive, revolving around philosophical traditions and the subjective experience of beauty. It highlights the subjectivity of beauty, referencing Kant's theory of beauty as a representation of sensation evaluated by human consciousness, and discussing aspects like the impossible theory of beauty, beauty evaluated by appearance, and relative beauty. The essay also explores Hume's perspective on taste and its subjective variations, arguing that the ultimate motive of standard taste and beauty is to cultivate a valuable character, sustaining individuals pleasurably. It then contrasts the subjective view with objective perspectives, such as Augustine's emphasis on delightful elements, and addresses criticisms of Kant's subjectivism, arguing that beauty is a pleasure and, therefore, a subjective concept. The essay concludes that beauty is predominantly subjective, influenced by human perception, taste, and ethical judgments, and that the influence of these philosophical aesthetics has been immense in the history of defining beauty, providing an argumentative parameter.

Running head: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
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1ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
The concept of beauty is predominantly tailored by human perception. It is the
pleasure that a human finds or perceives in an unknown and unjudged object. Traditionally,
beauty is associated with positivity and the right blend of ultimate virtues such as goodness,
godliness, truth and justice. However, the contemporary aesthetic regards beauty as illusive.
The concept of beauty revolves around the concept of the philosophical tradition in which
pleasurable beauty is observed, appreciated and experienced. The paper aims to highlight
why beauty is a subject concept provided with in-depth explainable standpoints and
elaborative arguments.
The aesthetics of beauty lie in the paradigm of subjectivity, as emphasized by Kant,
who determined the concept of beauty as a representation of sensation evaluated by human
consciousness. The subjective concept exists in its variants of distinctive aspects. Aspects like
the impossible theory of beauty, evaluated beauty traits by appearance and the relative theory
of beauty. Impossible theory of beauty standardize figures or persona that are dominantly
recognized, based on which other objects are compared and beauty standards are evaluated.
The second aspects lie in appearance that explains the superficial appearance (Siahaan, Redi
& Hanjalic, 2014). Following it, it is observed that Kant explains that it depends on one’s
faculties of perception. The third aspect of relative beauty lies in the perspective of beauty
and the fact that they are relative to the variant perceptions of human philosophy and are
therefore involved intrinsically in the concept of aesthetic beauty (Pillow, 2014). Every mind
perceives a different beauty that develops the meaning of an object’s presence. The concept
of beauty is independent according to one’s objective and taste of perfection. Thereby, the
ideal beauty varies with every model of standardized beauty in order to set the quality of the
beauty. Such philosophy further develops a good and worthy reason to desire, dream and
pursue (Siahaan, Redi, & Hanjalic, 2014).

2ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
Kant’s theory on the concept of beauty has put enormous impact on the generations in
the twentieth century. The aesthetic values of beauty concept are particularly directed
towards subjectivism. It is strongly regarded as the philosophical source and guides for the
contemporary approaches and inclinations of beauty. Hume’s “Of the Standard of Taste”
reveals the antimony of taste and taste is undoubtedly subjective and thereby it has different
variations. Acknowledging taste shows acknowledgement of the ability to experience beauty
based on pleasures (Hall, 2017). Hume, in his works and accounts, focusses on the judgment
of taste marked in the history. Following it, judgement practices are assessed based on the
past records of standardized taste. Though it reflects ignorance, idiosyncratic bias and
superficiality yet the objects remain unaffected by the arbitrary prejudices (Zhong-min,
2018). The ultimate motive of standard taste and beauty is to make a strong sense in order to
handle the delicate sentiments due to which it determines one to practice and wok
accordingly, resulting in gaining the perfected ability and thereby the subjectivism in the
concept of beauty ultimately creates a valuable character. Such philosophy of taste
incorporated in the subjectivism theory of beauty sets an individual sustain pleasurably and
beautifully in the long run (Hall, 2017). Therefore, from the above in-depth discussion on the
beauty concept, it proves that beauty is certainly a subject concept supported by every aspect
of human pleasures and experiences.
Beauty is not perceived as subjective when the object expresses genuinely as
empirical representation. In most of the philosophical accounts of post eighteenth century,
beauty has been treated as an objective concept. For example, Augustine in “De Veritate
Religione”, emphasized on an interpretation of an object being enjoyed for being delightful as
real element (Zhong-min, 2018). The concept is not centralized in the eyes of the beholder. It
has definite proportions and Plato’s forms of beauty to express their own uniqueness and does
not depend on other’s representation interpreted through their pleasures (Sedley, 2016).

3ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
Beauty being believed as a subject concept implies that the idea is coincident with the
philosophy of virtue-less and lifeless nature. Following it, the idea suggests that one lacks the
sense of objective assessment, that is, beauty hardly undergoes through thorough rational
examination. The beauty is dependent on what one thinks and perceives. Thereby, the subject
concept of beauty offends the existence of creation provided with the fact that imposed
beauty standards violate human nature (Santayana, 2019). Furthermore, Kant’s thoughts on
beauty have shown contradictory and problematic views. The problem in his theory of
subjectivism is if the knowledge of an individual is the knowledge-based on appearances, but
not the knowledge of ultimate reality, then the understanding of the perception leads to
nothingness and therefore can never be proven as true and real (Siahaan, Redi & Hanjalic,
2014). Thus, the theory is at fault that further defines to be incapable of claiming true
knowledge and ultimate reality. The theory in fact reveals that the existence of the object is
excluded by itself proving to be the fallacy of self-rejection.
From the above discussion, the essay concludes that beauty lies in the dimension of
subjectivity predominantly. Beauties are dependant. The idea of free beauty is absolutely
segregated from practical thoughts and experiences. It is rather found in some definite
proportion or form or design that is encompassed by human perception. The existence of
beauty further lies in the universalization of taste and ethical judgement. However,
universalization, in general, is conserved as objective. It is the judgment that validates the
object. Hence, judgement is subjective as well. The influence of this array of thoughts and
experiences based on philosophical aesthetics has been identified immensely in the history of
defining beauty. The contradictions imposed by the various concept of beauty provides an
argumentative parameter. Beauty is identified as a valuable trait, it is not just the perception
of human consciousness but rather an emotion, an appreciable virtue. An object cannot be
considered as beautiful if it does not provide pleasure and mesmerizing effect of positive

4ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
value to the human mind or any living being. Therefore, beauty is a pleasure which defines to
be a subject concept.

5ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON SUBJECTIVE BEAUTY
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