more from this thinker
|
more from this text
Single Idea 19578
[filed under theme 21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 5. Natural Beauty
]
Full Idea
Everything beautiful is a self-illuminated, perfect individual.
Gist of Idea
Only self-illuminated perfect individuals are beautiful
Source
Novalis (Miscellaneous Observations [1798], 101)
Book Ref
Novalis: 'Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. Stoljar,M.M. [SUNY 1997], p.41
A Reaction
It is a commonplace to describe something beautiful as being 'perfect'. Unfinished masterpieces are interesting exceptions. Are only 'individuals' beautiful? Is unity a necessary condition of beauty? Bad art fails to be self-illuminated.
The
14 ideas
with the same theme
[beauty in people, life and landscape]:
|
185
|
Socrates despised good looks
[Socrates, by Plato]
|
|
282
|
Non-physical beauty can only be shown clearly by speech
[Plato]
|
|
183
|
Stage two is the realisation that beauty of soul is of more value than beauty of body
[Plato]
|
|
184
|
Progress goes from physical beauty, to moral beauty, to the beauty of knowledge, and reaches absolute beauty
[Plato]
|
|
2837
|
Nothing contrary to nature is beautiful
[Aristotle]
|
|
5851
|
Pentathletes look the most beautiful, because they combine speed and strength
[Aristotle]
|
|
4870
|
The most beautiful hand seen through the microscope will appear horrible
[Spinoza]
|
|
7540
|
Beauty is a manifestation of secret natural laws
[Goethe]
|
|
19578
|
Only self-illuminated perfect individuals are beautiful
[Novalis]
|
|
22042
|
Natural beauty is unimportant, because it doesn't show human freedom
[Hegel, by Pinkard]
|
|
18326
|
The beautiful never stands alone; it derives from man's pleasure in man
[Nietzsche]
|
|
23921
|
Our feeling for natural beauty is different from the aesthetic emotion of art
[Bell,C]
|
|
23929
|
We only see landscapes as artistic if we ignore their instrumental value
[Bell,C]
|
|
18548
|
Natural beauty reassures us that the world is where we belong
[Scruton]
|