Summary of The Sense of Beauty

The Sense of Beauty, written by George Santayana in 1896, is a classic text of philosophy which examines beauty as an aesthetic concept and how our appreciation of it has evolved throughout history. It discusses the perception of beauty, its nature, the intuition of beauty, and the emotions it induces. Santayana examines the history of art, philosophy, and scientific thought on beauty and how it affects our lives. He dives into philosophical and metaphysical aspects of beauty, considering topics such as transcendent beauty, ideal forms of beauty, and the deeper truth of beauty. He ultimately argues that the source of beauty rests in the “poetic spirit,” and that beauty is not a preconceived concept but a sensibility that can bring about societal change.