Feb
27

Can Beauty Be Measured?

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The Logical Soul® is all about understanding the so-called subconscious motivations behind things that happen.  Therefore, the measurement of beauty falls right in line with this calling.  Here are some fun thoughts on how this may be accomplished:

Sacred Geometry

Vetruvian Man

Does beauty correspond to our inner sense of proportion?  Some scholars of ancient sciences think so.  Apparently, the Golden Ratio of 1: 1.618 is the cornerstone of beauty when it comes to the beauty relationships found in nature, such as the Chambered Nautilus seashell and the human body.

Relationships found in humans is (mostly) subconsciously measured and translated into beauty. Factors that are considered on the “pleasant-to-look-at” scale include things like the width of eyes to the width of the face, the relative locations of the eyes, nose and lips on the face, the ratio of hand length to forearm length, height-torso ratios, and many others.

Didn’t know Angelina Jolie was an inner geometry whiz, didya?

As for beauty in man-made objects, imitation of the Golden Ratio in nature is found in practically all European Gothic churches. Further, these magnificent edifices were built using only a drawing compass and straight-edge as the measuring tools.  The Masonic “secrets” so coveted and passed down over the centuries are founded on this knowledge.

The Helen

Helen of Troy

This arbitrary (and whimsical) measurement of beauty is the brainchild of writer David Lance Goines. Helen of Troy’s beauty supposedly had a face that “launched a thousand ships, and burnt the topless towers of Ilium.”

According to Goinse, therefore, “the Helen” is the standard measurement.  A Milli-Helen – or one-thousandth of a Helen – would be sufficient to “launch one Homeric warship & burn down a house.” A Kilo-Helen (103 Helens) is enough to “launch the equivalent of One Million Greek warships and spark a Nuclear confrontation.”

Not feeling up to all that activity?  Then you might measure your desire as a

  • A Nano-Helen (one ten-millionth of a Helen) could “send the Old Man on a canoe trip & build a good roaring blaze in the fireplace.
  • Femto-Helen (one-hundred millionth of a Helen) and simply”burn a dinner candle and spit a toothpick into a water glass.”

However you measure it, beauty is more than simply in “the eye of the beholder.”  Now we must consider its power as well!

Categories : Fun Stuff

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