Is beauty truth? (Or truth beauty?)
Posted on Mar 18th, 2008
by
barefootgirl42
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for March 18, 2008:
It's a complicated relationship: Beauty and Truth. Those two make a couple who go hand in hand as they (metaphorically) stroll down the street together. Since Beauty exists, it is therefore a Truth in the world. And since Truth can be Beautiful, Truth is (sometimes) Beauty. Truth is definitely not always Beautiful though: look at the newspaper and see.... wait, no: newspapers aren't Truth. :)
Have a great day,
Jenna
Have a great day,
Jenna
Tagged with: QaR, truth, beauty, philosophy, thinking, pondering, relationships, existence, newspapers, complications, the world

Help




Jenna,
You touched on a paradox for me – How can the imperfect Earth (or imperfect Humanity) be a part of a perfect Universe? The only answer I see is that it is a matter of perspective – if I hit my thumb with a hammer, in some way, the Universe is still perfect!
(The Ouch! Theory of the Universe)
Dear Barefoot Girl,
I discovered something new today – Questions about the Universe quickly go beyond proof – For example: Isn't it just a easy to prove that the Universe is a “pair of socks” as it is to prove that the Universe is a “paradox”? People have souls and shoes have soles and who is to say which one will get to heaven first?
ha! i love it. I whole-heartedly agree that the world around us is what is it based on are interpretation of it. :) That's why optimism is so important, and that's why humankind's tendency towards focusing on the negative in the world has influenced the world, well, negatively. And yes, the Universe is imperfectly perfect…just how I like it. :) And thinking about the Universe philosophically like we are doing does “go beyond proof” and is therefore limitless in possibilities. Although sometimes it's so easy to think about all these possibilities to the point that we make our heads hurt (at least I've done it before).
And your point about a “pair of socks” & a “paradox,” as well as souls & soles is nothing less than classic. Are those thoughts originally from the workings of your mind, or are you quoting something? I'd like to know.
Have a relaxing and fun Tuesday,
Jenna
Jenna,
I am so glad that you did not put holes in my “pair of socks” theory of the universe.
Shakespeare used the pun about “soles” and “souls” in the play “Julius Caesar”…
He had a cobbler/philosopher say that he was a mender of “soles” and not a mender of “souls”. The socks thing may be my own – however, some scientists believe that the universe may, in some way, fold back on itself (like folded socks). I do not think I am ready for a Nobel Prize – Thank you for the kind words! Jim
p.s. When you have a minute, please check out a project of mine,
www.metaphorsky.com
Oh yeah! I remember that line from Julius Caesar: my sister actually played that role last summer. (We are all Shakespeare geeks in my family)
And I can't seem to connect to your website right now, but I will check later. It definitely sound fun.
Yes, we had technical difficulties earlier today. It should work fine now. Thank you.
I believe this would fall into the category of subjective vs. objective, wouldn't you say?
They are two seperate things that feed each other.
You can have beauty without truth….hallucinations/faux art
and you can definitely have truth without beauty…..telling someone that you DON'T like their new hair cut is a great example of this.
So my conclusion would be no. Beauty is not truth. But great topic to delve into though.
xiola,
Of course that leads to the question: Is all beauty “physical”?