ABSTRACT
A long historical process full of anonymous protagonists has allowed beauty to shine and evolve up to the present. Researchers have applied functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the connections between brain activity and the visual and subjective experience of beauty. From a social perspective, the chapter aims to distinguish two types of beauty: on the one hand, inner beauty, which stands for the expression and values of human personality; and, on the other, exterior beauty, which represents the physical world. The perception of beauty crystallizes at a very early age. In children’s literature, films, and advertisement, happiness and good will are associated with beauty, in clear contrast to hideousness, which represents misfortune and evil. The human conception of beauty is infinite: it can include requited love, an admirable work of art, a brilliant algorithm, a successful scientific discovery, the face of a smiling baby, glory in sports, a deep friendship, or even a romantic dinner. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
