Like our attitude to love, truth and goodness, we seem to be confident about knowing what beauty is - certain, even dogmatic - until we think hard about the idea, whereupon all confidence flies away.
Interpretation
Our understanding of beauty is often superficial, and deeper contemplation can reveal uncertainty.
This quote by Charles Jencks emphasizes that while we may initially feel confident in our perceptions of beauty, much like our views on love, truth, and goodness, a deeper reflection can lead to doubt and a realization that our understanding is not as solid as we think. It suggests that beauty is subjective and complex, and challenges us to question our assumptions about it.
In practice
This quote could be used in a lecture on aesthetics to discuss the nature of beauty.
It will be very interesting one day to follow the pattern of our life as it is spread out like a beautiful tapestry. As long as we live here we see only the reverse side of the weaving, and very often the pattern, with its threads running wildly, doesn't seem to make sense. Some day, however, we shall understand. In looking back over the years we can discover how a red thread goes through the pattern of our life: the Will of God.
None are so poor that they have nothing to give...and none are so rich that they have nothing to receive.
It is only work that is done as freewill offering to humanity and to nature that does not bring with it any binding attachment.
Morality is stronger than tyrants.
In every truth, the opposite is equally true. For example, a truth can only be expressed and enveloped in words if it is onesided.
All sentiment is right; because sentiment has a reference to nothing beyond itself, and is always real, wherever a man is conscious of it. But all determinations of the understanding are not right; because they have a reference to something beyond themselves, to wit, real matter of fact; and are not always conformable to that standard.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.