ABSTRACT
There is always something strongly subjective and debatable about aesthetic judgment. In their book Face Value (1984), Lakoff and Scherr argue that this indefinable and unmeasurable subjectivity is not an obstacle to defining beauty, but is in fact the very core of the matter. If beauty could be judged objectively, they say, it would not be so mysterious or powerful. Because beauty can never be defined precisely, discussing or debating beauty always draws us into a conversation about basic, important matters, of values and essences. We can never agree completely on what beauty is, but it nevertheless draws us into an engagement based in common understandings of the terms of debate. Therefore, judging beauty is an exercise that simultaneously divides people and brings them together. While they will never agree completely in their judgments, they can often agree on the terms of disagreement.
