Where did art come from? Humans are the only
animals that do things just because they are beautiful and they like them.
Philosophy and literature talk a lot about art and beauty and it’s very
difficult to make sense of the different theories. However, what does science
say? In this TED Talk, Denis Dutton says that art and liking beautiful things
is a result of evolution. Watch the video below to learn more.
1. Do you agree with Dennis Dutton? Do people like beauty because of evolution?
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
Comments
I am sure if I understand second question correctly, but I don’t think that science can prove that beauty is boring. As long as people don’t starving and don’t have to fight for survival, beauty will endure.
I think that future beauty will evolve into more conceptual stuff. Especially art, because in this field, people were always trying to create something original.
In my opinion, this is just one of few example approaches to this topic. But just because explaining the experience of beauty using theory of evolution is too obvious or simple for somebody it doesn't mean we should discard it off the top.
I don't think that much things will change in minds of people regarding beauty. But as it was mentioned our culture is one of the main influencers that determines what is beautiful and what is not, so we should pay attention to that fact.
And how it will evolve in future? Probably not that much if this hypothesis holds. Because we, as humans do not really evolve that fast. Unless of course, our skill in biotechnology comes into this equation. Of course, forms will change a bit, there are currently different cultures being mixed and who knows, maybe in few hundred years we will have one "Earth" culture all around the globe and it will become much more universal what beauty is. But we still will be affected by the beauty of someone's skill or by the natural beauty of a landscape.
I think it's interesting to see how science tries to explain everything. We are now trying to understand ourselves better and better, so no wonder we try to understand what is beautiful to us. This has some practical applications as well, but most of all I think it let us know what makes us, us. And that's a good task for science.
I think that these are different things, science is everywhere and explains everything, but there are things that do not need to be proved scientifically.
My opinion is that beauty is now dictated by successful people who have their own opinion and can beautifully present it to other people who need someone to say what is beautiful and what is unacceptable. Of course, now is the time to create new trends in art, fashion. Contemporary artists paint their paintings very strange, but there are those who love this art and speak about it to society, society probably will not see beauty in contemporary art, but the opinion has already been imposed.
• Sure. As the time passes and with the availability of all ‘beauty boosters’ such as makeup accessories, the standards are going up. People tend to seek the beauty in modern days as media are feeding us with the concept of sexuality.
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
• Beauty cannot really be explained or defined. If it comes to human physique, there are some aspects such as width between the eyes, cheek bones’ shape, chin or nose length etc. which, can be ‘standardized’ and used as a definition of attractiveness but the beauty itself is something different.
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
• Currently, vast majority of people tend to talk about natural beauty. Minimizing the usage of accessories on everyday basis. I believe that’s the direction it is going towards at the moment.
Every part of our body and mind is a product of years of evolution. From standard of human beauty to cars and paintings. Humans really want divergent from animals, say that we are something more. Yet, we are nothing more and nothing less than a top species on our planet.
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
No. I think it is amazing that we are able to understand why we find some things more attractive than others. Look at music. We know that we love it, because it is mathematically appealing to our brains, with sometimes sophisticated patterns of rhythm and melody.
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
We will have better tools to create it, we will better understand what appeals to certain groups of people with different backgrounds. Art and beauty will be tailored to meet the expectations of the target group. We already do that in series. Netflix runs calculations on already published seasons, and knows which scenes and actors are the most interesting for people.
No, I think, like Dennis Dutton said, that the question of beauty depends on our cultural circle. In Africa, a man will like a black woman with brown eyes and curly hair. In Europe, most men choose a white woman with different colors of hair or eyes according to their preferences.
Unfortunately, I'm not interested in art, so it's hard to imagine how it could evolve.
Beauty from science point of view is very doubtful meaning. It is not only boring and unimaginative, it is ridiculous.
Definitely YES, art & beauty will evolve in the future. We are creators of art and beauty, so if we will evolve, it will evolve with us.
Wrong. Birds sometimes use berries only to decorate their nests, arthropods gather some colourful pieces of tissue or paper and carry them around, and some spieses of monkeys do collect some sticks and rocks for no obvious purpose. The very basic concept of liking/disliking is hard programmed inside each living being.This is a handle for reaction to events, the way a creature gets around in reality. And it gives one extra purpose to one's actions alongside with mere survival and defense.
2. Using science to explain beauty can be boring but I belive it's also really important. We have to understand why we perceive something/someone as "beautiful" in order to become self-conscious. Sometimes the beautiful thing isn't good for us. And it's the same with people. It's awesome that we can perceive beauty in our world and in other people but we have to be aware that it's only our perception.
3. I have no idea really. We can see that right now that again the perception of beauty is changing. People are less ashamed about their bodies, the trend of very thin models met a new trend- size+ models (let's be true- most of them are not really size+ but the idea is spreading).
About art... I think that it's going to be more impactuful on our society. The art is no longer only a painting/song/sculpture. Now it's a very popular to use art as a medium to create the awareness in society about some problem. It will be still considered as a beautiful thing though but on a much deeper level.
Or no... who knows, but it would be interesting :)
Today, modern trends dictate the concept of beauty. The Internet and media are full of different interpretations of beauty. And everyone who is under the influence of the information field is trying to comply with these standards.
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
I think it is not right to associate the concept of beauty with science. Scientific facts are generally accepted norms, but the standards of beauty are different everywhere.
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
Standards of beauty have always been parallel to art and everything connected with it. They are an integral part of each other, I think it will always be so.
Sense of beauty is strongly influenced by out nature and culture - being fat as a wealth status. However
there are factors such as hig face symmetry, breats, hips, that are connected to our health, and ability to
have strong children.
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
Today on so low level it might be hard and boring, but when we reach suffiecient level of
technological complexity it will unleash a total new way of beauty.
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
I think it will be more complex, and more computer genereted. Highly trained AI is going to
imitate and invent every possible painting and drawing style. Beaty will not only be adjusted with
plastic surgeries but also on very low - genetic level.
Honestly I don't know - maybe it is because of evolution, maybe because of something else. I think it is because of our culture - we may like something, but someone from another part of the world may say that it's bad, ugly, etc.
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
I think that it's too deep, and we shouldn't look there for an explanation.
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
I'm afraid that it can go in a very weird way. Right now sometimes I'm scared about the future, maybe it's not for me.
I don't think that it is boring, on the contrary, it is interesting way of explaining why do you like some picture or a song. And just because it's extremely hard to explain it it gets even more exciting.
It's very difficult to imagine. In my opinion there would be few more generations when old fashion would be in vogue. But for instance in 500 or 1000 years I can't even imagine
Yes, I agree with Dennis. Evolution affects everything around us. And on the concept of beauty, respectively, too. I very much doubt that a person from the past will be able to appreciate what is considered beautiful now.
2. Do you think using science to explain beauty is boring or unimaginative?
The relationship between beauty and harmony with science has long been proven. And for me, it's just fantastic. It's amazing that a person could study and justify even such an inaccurate and very relative term, like beauty.
3. How do you think art and beauty will evolve in the future?
It's a difficult question. Art is unpredictable, it can take on various guises. Perhaps people will cross their DNA with animals and assume that the result is beautiful. And for us, it will look just disgusting because our evolution has not yet come.
I want to start with the fact that the video that I watched is called "A Darwinian theory of beauty". And this means that scientifically (by some real facts) the author’s assumption has not been confirmed. His theory may be his dream or myth, which he once fancied.
Of course, for example, women's haircuts or shapes. With each trend of fashion, with each passing year, the general interest in one form or another increases or decreases. And since we live in a time when you can express yourself and your thoughts in any way, the understanding of beauty and art will change even more often.