The classical conception of beauty is akin to the concept of symmetry and the golden ratio. A classical definition of beauty is an organized arrangement of all the parts of a thing into a unified whole. It is embodied in such objects as music, sculpture, architecture and design.
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the concept of beauty was a subject of much debate. As the modern period evolved, many thinkers tried to debunk the notion that beauty is a frivolous matter. Some even tried to quantify its importance. But this quest for a proper definition of beauty was stymied by the question of what beauty actually is.
This is not to say that the concept of beauty was not important. On the contrary, the idea of beauty is an extremely important part of our aesthetic experience. We appreciate the value of a painting, sculpture, or photograph when we see it in its best light, but we are not prone to judge the quality of the piece based on its beauty alone.
For the most part, a good definition of the concept of beauty is not necessarily one that makes us smile. While it may be the case that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is hard to believe that it is in the eyes of every individual. That is, there are individuals who would be more likely to appreciate the beauty of an object than others.
There are two main forms of classical conceptions of beauty. One, a neo-classical one, focuses on the relationship of the parts to the whole. Another, a hedonist one, focuses on the relationship between pleasure and beauty. The hedonic concept of beauty defines a beautiful object in terms of how it makes us feel, rather than how it looks.
One of the first attempts to define the concept of beauty was by the eighteenth century German philosopher Immanuel Kant. His definition is quite lengthy, but the most important thing he said was that a beautiful object is something whose value increases if you enjoy it. And the best thing to do with a beautiful object is to treat it well. This may involve performing a practical task with some degree of satisfaction, or it may refer to the creation of a work of art.
While the classical and hedonic approaches are the foundation of our concept of beauty, there are some other notable examples. Among them is the mathematically complex Fibonacci sequence and its corresponding golden ratio. These are expressions of a larger beauty, which can be seen in the arrangement of the leaves on a plant stem or the golden proportions of a line.
In addition to these, there are many more. Indeed, a beauty treatment is often a scholarly exercise to help improve our understanding of the meaning of the concept of use. Often, a beauty treatment is accompanied by a criticism of the difference between fine art and craft.