To understand if beauty is measurable, let us first understand the terms, ‘measure’ and ‘beauty’.
What is measurement?
Measurement means, to define something in a clear and precise way.
What is beauty?
Beauty refers to the quality of being pleasing, especially to look at.
What makes something or someone beautiful?
The debate on ‘What makes something or someone beautiful’ has been going on for centuries. (thinker)
Western theory of beauty
The earliest Western theory of beauty can be found in the works Greek philosopher Pythagoras who saw a strong connection between mathematics and beauty.
This was the time when It was believed that proportionate and symmetrical objects were more attractive.
This definition is still held as relevant by many, so in that manner we can say that beauty can be measured.
The question then arises of whether beauty is universal.
The painting of Monalisa by Leonardo da Vinci is considered beautiful and so is Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. What do they have in common? What makes them both beautiful despite the lack of symmetry here?
The Taj Mahal is considered beautiful and so is Beethoven’s ninth symphony. What element that could describe beauty is common here? In this case it definitely cannot be measured by math.
A combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, arrangement that pleases the senses, be it sight or sound makes something beautiful.
It is also found that people around the world find different music, visual art, performance, and physical attributes to be beautiful. It’s on the basis of those considerations that many believe that beauty is a label we attach to different sorts of experiences based on a combination of cultural and personal preferences.
So the saying, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ used to express the fact that not all people have the same opinions about what is attractive and pleasing, holds true.