Beauty has always been an important concern for people. But today, in the age of smartphones and social media, some argue that beauty ideals seem more ubiquitous and pervasive than ever, affecting our daily decisions, sense of self-worth, and evaluation of ourselves and others. In this module, we will critically examine the concept of human beauty as well as a number of ethically salient phenomena and questions posed by dominant contemporary standards of human beauty.  

We will discuss both these phenomena, their potential sources, and their implications both for practical decision-making and theorising in ethics and aesthetics. And we will consider ways of responding to both theoretical and practical challenges that they pose. We will draw on work in philosophical aesthetics and ethics as well as other disciplines; bioethics committee reports; podcasts and articles in the popular press; and current media and culture, including social media and even photo editing apps.  

• Explain and critically evaluate different conceptions of human beauty, from popular culture and philosophy, to evolutionary biology.  

• Display understanding of the debates concerning theoretical links between beauty and ethics.

• Display awareness of expressions of beauty standards and/or ideals in contemporary culture and the ethical questions that they raise.  

• Apply ethical theories and notions, e.g., of identity, justice, objectification, oppression, discrimination, etc., in discussing a range issues raised by aesthetic considerations.  

• Construct relevant arguments, both in verbal discussion and in written form, using  well-chosen examples.  

• Discuss arguments carefully both on their own and as part of a group.  

The module will be taught through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning classes and activities, designed to fulfil the learning outcomes. 

Transferable / Employability Skills: 

It is worth bearing in mind that, even though the point of the module is to do philosophy, many of the skills you’ll be developing are also highly valued by graduate employers.  

These include: 

• Critical Thinking: e.g. the ability to understand, structure and critically evaluate the key points and arguments made in written texts and discussions––achieved through e.g. reading, small group activities in lectures and seminars, plenary discussions in seminars, reflecting on lecture materials, essay and exam preparation and writing. 
• Communication: the ability to formulate and articulate your critical thinking, both orally and on paper, in ways that others can grasp and engage with––achieved through e.g. small group work in seminars, seminar discussions, essay/exam writing. 
• Organisation: the ability to organise and coordinate workloads––achieved through balancing e.g. reading, seminar preparation, essay/exam preparation. 
• Working with others: e.g. co-constructing ideas, responding sensitively to others––achieved through e.g. small group work in seminars, group presentations. 
• Presentation: The ability to present complex ideas and arguments in a well-organised, engaging way, both individually and working as part of a group. 

Group Video Discussion: 40%

Essay: 60%

Topics covered on the module may include the below (please note that these are subject to change). 

Section 1: Human Beauty as an Ethical Ideal 

In this section we will read and discuss parts of Heather Widdows' book Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal. We will critically examine Widdows' analysis of the contemporary ideal of beauty; her arguments to the effect that the contemporary ideal of beauty is increasingly homogenised and that its demands are increasingly pressing on people; as well as her claim that meeting the demands of the beauty ideal takes the form of an ethical duty, and one which is closely linked to our identity. 

Possible readings: 

- Sandra Lee Bartky, Femininity and Domination: Studies in the Phenomenology of Oppression (London: Routledge, 1990), esp. chs. 1, 2, 5, 6. 

- Sherri Irvin (ed.), Body Aesthetics (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016). 
- Heather Widdows, Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2016). 
- Paul C. Taylor, “Dark, Lovely Yet And; Or, How to Love Black Bodies While Hating Black People”, in his Black is Beautiful (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2016). 

Section 2: The Aesthetics of Human Beauty 

In this section we will explore the contemporary ideal(s) of human beauty in light of work on human beauty from philosophical aesthetics, as well as evolutionary psychology and anthropology. We will look at whether physical beauty exhausts human beauty, whether there are any constraints to what can count as beautiful in humans, and discuss ways of resisting potentially damaging ideals. 

Possible readings:  

- Stephen Davies, The Artful Species (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012), especially chapter 7.  
- Marcia M. Eaton, “Kantian and Contextual Beauty”, in Peg Z. Brand (ed.), Beauty Matters.  
- Kathleen Higgins, “Beauty and Its Kitsch Competitors”, in Peg Z. Brand (ed.) Beauty Matters (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000).  
- Sara Protasi, “The Perfect Bikini Body: Can We All Really Have It? Loving Gaze as an Antioppressive Beauty Ideal”. Thought (2017) 6/2: 93-101.