Beauty Philosophy

In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, 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 and examining how we can compare differing judgments of beauty when it is evident all around us that our tastes vary so widely.

Philosopher Nick Riggle explores the beauty of being alive by investigating the things we say to inspire ourselves and each other: seize the day, treat yourself, you only live once. These clichés are at best vague, at worst stupid. They imply that you should do something wild with your life because your life is precious, a little like saying you should go swimming with your grandfather’s watch because it is irreplaceable.

The world we all live in is being transformed. This is the story of a boy asking many questions as his life journey begins in the evangelical church setting of America during the indulgent, colorful decade of the 1970s. His yearning for truth and understanding cause him to trust the authorities that be. The tendency of life is to bury the past and move on. What else can we do? He pursues happiness and builds his kingdom on earth. However, in midlife, his kingdom begins to unravel and crumble. Then the world begins to crumble. In the depths of unforeseen despair, he cries out to God, "Why?"

Natalie Angier knows all that scientists know—and sometimes more—about the power of symmetry in sexual relations, about the brutal courting habits of dolphins, about the grand deceit of orchids, about the impact of female and male preferences on evolution. She knows how scientists go about their work, and she describes their ways, their visions, and their arguments. Perhaps most poignantly, she understands the complexities and the sad necessity of death.

What does it mean to be beautiful? Bernadette Fisers has spent a career in fashion, hair and makeup, travelling the world to work on famous faces - so she knows better than most that beauty is much more than skin deep. Anyone can be beautiful, and it starts simply with loving yourself. In this wise little audiobook, she shares a lifetime’s worth of tips for creating the kind of inner and outer beauty that makes you glow - simple truths like kindness, authenticity, acceptance and generosity that shine through and make life richer and more joyful.