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Question: Is knowledge required to appreciate beauty!?
I read this article where a world class violinist is asked to play in a train station with a Stradivarius!. Few people stopped to listen!.

Similarly, for non tennis fans, they can't appreciate Pete Sampras serves or non soccer fans the beauty of Brazilian samba soccer!.

While art is debatable, what about the hundreds of beautiful things around us!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
The beauty of certain symmetries or patterns can be appreciated
without knowledge, but knowledge enhances the appreciation!.
The 'beauty' of more complex art forms requires knowledge of
the symbology or skills involved in their expression!.
There might be some debate whether it's really 'beauty' we admire
in especially skillfull exercises, (like your sports examples),
or merely excellence!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It depends!.

Some beauty can be learned, while some aspects of beauty are universal!.

In some cultures, what is considered beautiful is learned!.
For instance: For some time in the nineteenth century in America, beauty included corsets, making women's waists as small as possible!. Another example is the tradition of Chinese foot binding; it was considered beautiful to have very small bound feet!. However, small waists or small feet may not be considered beautiful in other cultures or eras!.

Some beauty, such as art and music, can be an individualistic taste!. One can learn to appreciate certain types of music through what they're exposed to and value and what not!.

However, if you are talking about what is considered beautiful amongst most people, there are some studies that demonstrate how some physical beauty is universal!.
According to the authors of Facial Attractiveness: Gillian Rhodes, Leslie A!. Zebrowitz, symmetry, especially facial symmetry, is one of a number of aesthetic traits, that are considered universally beautiful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

*Its not so much as knowledge as its 'inclination' towards a particular thing !.!.!.!.!.!. that attracts us to it !!!
If we are naturally inclined to appreciate all that is good, we do so !!
If we are always critical of everything & try to always find faults , then the best of things would be just 'ok' for us !!
As for tennis & music, if we don't feel happy listening or watching, then maybe its just that we are not interested in sports & are not musically inclined !!
What is interesting to one, might be boring to another !!
So, to each his/her own !!
As they say, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder !!~~?Www@QuestionHome@Com

to each there own - we may all value something of value that not everyone agrees on!.

i would never appreciate a brillant move on a football field - or a perfectly stitched whatever - but i could appreciate a beautiful violin - that does not make foot ball stupid or sewing stupid - just different -we are all different!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!. So everyone has their own idea of beauty which could mean that something beautiful for an intelligent person is not beautiful for an unintelligent person and vice versa!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have lots of knowledge, but do not appreciate beauty because I am missing some genetic marker for aesthetics!. No amount of knowledge will make me more than a student of beauty!. I do not actually GET IT!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Knowledge is not important but wisdom is, knowledge brings about wisdom to beable to appreciat what is beautiful to you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Very good question!. Beauty has nothing to do with knowledge!.!.All that smart a s s e s looks microscopical , no, not existent in a presence of BeautyWww@QuestionHome@Com

What do you have to know about a sunset in order to appreciate it!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

we have no possible way of knowing!. There is no person who has ever lived that had NO knowledge at all!.

What do we compare to!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

!.!.!.no, it comes from the heart!.!.!.
!.!.!.art is an expression and their is beauty in all things!.!.!.
!.!.!.good luck!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com