Evolutionary aesthetics

Abstract

Animals possess many features of their form and behaviour which are both highly attractive to others of their species and may be described as beautiful by humans. Analysis of the biological roles of those attractive features shows them to be advertisements of the genetic quality of their bearers. The concept of beauty is an attribute of the human mind and goes far beyond those physical things which may be perceived by the senses. Sense organs provide the human brain, and the mind, with much information about the outside world and evolved alongside every other attribute of Homo sapiens. They enabled our ancestors to make choices which directly influenced their likelihood of survival, such as which individuals to choose as mates, which foods to eat, and so forth. An incorrect choice could make the difference between whether one's genes would be transmitted to future generations, or whether or not an individual would be poisoned. Although our sense organs were fine tuned during the Pleistocene era, some 2 million years ago, we use them today to inform us about the beauty of a Rubens, a Beethoven symphony, or the latest Dior perfume. Symmetry is a crucial feature of things which humans describe as beautiful. Evidence is presented to show that peacocks with the most symmetrical fans, swallows with the most symmetrical tail feathers, dungflies with the most symmetrical legs, and lions with the most symmetrical moustachial whiskers leave the most offspring and enjoy the highest reproductive success. In humans facial symmetry is a very important aspect of beauty and symmetrical faces are preferred by adults and babies alike. Evolutionary aesthetics describes the relationship between physical beauty and human evolution.