Philosophical Writings

Author(s): Hemant Shah
Publisher: Academy of Philosophy

Page 89

Philosophical Writings
the other". In that state, the Beauty of all objects points to the one. It is in this sense and this sense alone, to us in India, perception of Beauty is a Yoga or union of self with the Super self.
2.5. Beauty in Western Philosophy :
Before understanding the Indian concept of Beauty, let us have a very brief summary of the western concept of Beauty, which again I have summerised from that of the important contribution to aesthetic doctrines.
2.5.1. Ancient Greeks :
The first important contribution is supplied by the ancient Greek Philosophers. Ofcourse, "of the views of Plato on the subject, it is hardly less difficult to gain a clear conception from the Dialogues, that it is in the case of ethical good-He (Plato) recognizes in places the beauty of the mind and seems to think that the highest beauty of proportion is to be found in the union of a beautiful mind with a beautiful body.'
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In west, beauty has been delt by two schools: the idealist school and the materialists, differently. According to idealist school beauty pertains to man's spiritual life, rooted in depth of man's consciousness and lack objective foundation. Materialists attribute to subjective quality. Aristotle is acceptable to both these schools. He says "Beauty depends upon magnitude and order.""" Morever he also said that "Symmetry, order and limitations are the three conditions of beauty."18 Aristotalian approach is organic and functional and he also believes that art is to give pleasure.
Of the later Greek and Roman writers, Neo Platonist Plotinus deserves to be mentioned. According to him Beauty lies in objects seen or heard as well as in Good Character also.
Amongst the other Greek philosophers, Zeno the founder of Stoicism contributed mainly in the field of music. Its main principle is, "Beauty depends on the arrangement of parts." In the same way Plutarch and Longinus talked of Sublimity. The source of moral sublime, according to him, are only two (i) magnanimity of soul and heroism of extraordinary kind, and (ii) High Virtues.