''For other uses, see Beauty (disambiguation).

Nymph with morning glory flowers.jpg|200px|thumb|right|A nymph with morning glory flowers by Lefebvre. The image of the young woman is a classical symbol of human beauty, and a dominant theme in art.]] Beauty is a value associated with an innate and emotional perception of life's affirmative and meaningful aspects within objects in the perceived world —ie. vitality, fertility, health, happiness, goodness, and love. Cognition of "beauty" involves the interpretation of objects as being in balance and harmony with nature, which in turn elicits a sense and experience of attraction, affection, and pleasure.

In its most profound sense, beauty is said to engender a salient experience of positive reflection with regard to the meaning of one's own being within natural life. An "object of beauty" may be anything that reveals or resonates with a personal meaning. Hence religious and moral teachings have often focused on the divinity and virtue of beauty, to assert natural beauty as an aspect of a spiritual beauty (ie. truth) and to define all self-centered or materialistic pretensions as based in ignorance. The ancient story of Narcissus for example, deals with the distinction between recognizing beauty and falling into vanity. The presence of the self in any human context means that beauty is naturally tied to its human meaning, wherein human beauty is often the dominant aspect of a greater natural beauty. Otherwise, objects can be defined as belonging to any of various types, such as "artificial," or "intellectual" beauty.

In the modern context, the usage of beauty as means to promote an ideology or dogma has been a focus of societal debates which center around issues of prejudice, ethics, and human rights. The usage of beauty for purposes of commercialism is a controversial aspect of the "culture wars," wherein feminism typically claims such usage promotes a dogmatic (ie. "The Beauty Myth") rather than a virtuous understanding of beauty. The literal opposite of beauty is ugliness —ie. the perceived lack of beauty, which stimulates displeasure and engenders a deeper negative perception of the object.

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Pirates Anchor in Berlin
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:37:34 -0400
At the first state party congress of the Berlin branch of the Pirate Party, the newly minted politicians fighting for Internet freedom are greeted by an onslaught of new members. Everything goes smoot...
Polish President Plays Down Azerbaijani-Russian Gas Deal
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:35:31 -0400
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Poles detained after Canadian murdered in Cyprus
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:13:57 -0400
NICOSIA, Cyprus - Cypriot police say two Polish men have been detained on suspicion of killing a Canadian tourist who was found strangled in a gorge near a southern coastal resort. Police spokesm...
'A NATO Exit Would Be Devastating for Afghanistan'
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:06:07 -0400
While the German parliament has voted to extend the Bundeswehr mandate in Afghanistan, most Germans want to see their soldiers return home as soon as possible. But with the Americans ramping up their ...
Chimney-turned-minaret project draws controversy in Poland
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:54:10 -0400
Warsaw - An art project that would transform a tall chimney into a minaret drew controversy in western Poland as critics said it mocked Catholics, a Polish daily reported Friday. Architect Joanna Rajk...
Search Engine Strategies Returns to Germany for 7th Time with SES Berlin Conference & Expo on 24-25 November 2009
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:39:31 -0400
German event focused on search engine marketing (SEM), including pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and search engine optimisation (SEO), to be held at Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre. London, UK (

Poland News

Angela Merkel's party backs 'homeland' for Germans expelled by Poland
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:50:53 -0000
The party of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel has declared that its countrymen expelled by Poland after the Second World War have a 'right to a homeland' and said the deportations should be condemned under international law.
Nixon OKs naming highway after rabbi
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:47:35 -0000
Jefferson City -- Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation Wednesday that names a Missouri highway adopted for trash pickup by a neo-Nazi group after a rabbi who narrowly escaped the Nazis during World War II.
Jewish Choir's Tour Boosts $100 Million Plan to Rebuild Heritage in Poland
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:30:47 -0000
As Ivor Lichterman led prayers at Warsawa s only pre-war synagogue, he was a oeovercome with awea to be standing where his father led the last services before the Holocaust wiped out 1,000 years of Jewish history.
Poland eyes deeper economic ties with Gulf
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:18:30 -0000
Poland's prime minister said Wednesday that his country is seeking closer economic cooperation with states in the Persian Gulf region.
Iran: Lessons From Polanda s Anti-Communist Protest
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:13:16 -0000
A In so many ways, the scenes from Tehran look eerily familiar: the massive demonstrations full of idealistic young people demanding that their voices be heard;A the equally massive show of force by the riot police, leading to at least 20 deaths, countless beatings, and hundreds of arrests; the wrenching images of a young woman bleeding to death ...
Building starts on Warsaw's Jewish history museum
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:12:15 -0000
For the second time in two years, Polish officials began building a new museum of Jewish history in Warsaw on Tuesday that they hope will become a major cultural landmark.

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