Beauty Will Save the World

Beauty: The Ultimate Antidote for Disenchanted Times



Ancient Greek philosophers believed that the Beautiful is inextricably connected to the Good and the True. Plato remarked that “the contemplation of beauty causes the soul to grow wings.” And embracing Platonism, Einstein stated that “the ideals which have always shone before me and filled me with the joy of living are goodness, beauty, and truth.” Beauty Will Save the World illuminates why beauty matters and how beauty can improve our lives as a universal, immaterial good. This book explores the Beautiful State, a frame of mind that can be cultivated to experience immense beauty in the world. By developing our innate capacity to perceive beauty, we discover profound happiness and meaning while furthering the classical vision of a golden age of reason, tolerance, and enlightenment. Synthesising historical insights with stories of people — from an arctic explorer to a concert pianist — who offer invaluable lessons about the art of living, this book elucidates a practical philosophy to advance human flourishing and create an existence of transcendent beauty.