Beauty: A Very Short Introduction

Beauty can be consoling, disturbing, sacred, profane; it can be exhilarating, appealing, inspiring, chilling. It can affect us in an unlimited variety of ways. Yet it is never viewed with indifference.

In this Very Short Introduction, the renowned philosopher Roger Scruton explores the concept of beauty, asking:

• What makes an object—either in art, in nature, or the human form—beautiful?
• How can we compare differing judgements of beauty when it is evident all around us that our tastes vary so widely?
• Is there a right judgement to be made about beauty?
• Is it right to say there is more beauty in a classical temple than a concrete office block, or more in a Rembrandt than in last year's Turner Prize winner?

Forthright and thought-provoking, and as accessible as it is intellectually rigorous, this introduction to the philosophy of beauty draws conclusions that some may find controversial. However, as Scruton shows, these conclusions help us to find a greater sense of meaning in the beautiful objects that fill our lives.