Lesson 6: Physical Self

• Physical Self refers to the body which we interface with our environment and fellow beings.
• Arthur Marwick defends the view that physical beauty is no more than what it is: only “skin deep”.
• Physical beauty is defined as a feature of a person’s body.
• However physical beauty was also considered suspect and dangerous, due to its link to sexuality and its “merely carnal”, power and seductive side.
• in feminists' beauty is a suspect concept, as a male construct of feminine looks
• a religious conservatives is that only inner beauty counts
• A person’s attractiveness depends on many features
• Africa – they do not celebrate thinness the way other countries do
• Famously the country of Mauritania has come to be known as one that idolizes overweight women. This is most often seen as a sign of wealth and fertility
• Brazil – women want to appear fit and toned, and things like waxing, sculpting massages and manicures are everyday treatment, not only reserved for the spa
• Asia & Africa – skin lightening has risen in popularity.
• ‘a beautiful appearance’ refers to a beauty that is man-made
• Beautiful appearance is artistic in two respects: (1) it is clearly achieved by ‘cultural’ means and reflects our present culture, and (2) it expresses someone’s personal choice and intentions.
• Its result is an intentional structuring from an artistic point of view: in short, artistic beauty.
• according to Kant – beauty can be attached to living things (organisms) as well as to artificial things (works of art).
• central to Kant’s idea of beauty is that beauty gives the observer a feeling of disinterested pleasure or liking
• By ‘disinterested’ he means that the object does not fulfill an aim or satisfy a need. There is, for instance, no ‘wish to possess’, regardless of whether it is a work of art or a natural object being observed.
• according to Kant’s view, beauty judgements are not objective, but are nevertheless universal.
• Physical beauty is understood as experienced beauty in primarily a relational perspective.
• The characterization of a person therefore includes experiences, values and beliefs, desires and psychological qualities, which together constitute someone as a person (Schechtman,1996).
• “Altering appearance also changes the way we see ourselves, and this is a crucial consequence of cosmetic surgery” (Freedman, pp. 54, 56).
• “Bodies constrain, but do not determine” (Schechtman, pp. 67–70).
• Bodily changes may undoubtedly change a person, but these changes do not necessarily imply a denial or loss of his identity.
• Self- esteem – is used to describes a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. In other words, how much you appreciate and like yourself.
• Inflated Self-Esteem – this people holds high regards of themselves. Better than the other to the point of underestimating them.
• High Self-Esteem – This is a positive esteem, which make the person be satisfied of themselves
• Low Self-Esteem – This person does not value themselves and do not trust their possibilities.
• Self-esteem can play a significant role in your motivation and success throughout your life.
• Physical beauty is an important human value and can be evaluated on its own.