Abstract

CASTILLO, Enrique Gervilla. Challenges of bodily beauty: Rating and educational criticism. Rev. Lusófona de Educação [online]. 2014, n.26, pp.29-43. ISSN 1645-7250.

Aesthetics in general, and the beauty of the human body specifically, are values as old as philosophy, and as such, desired and desirable for their goodness, although each historical moment has determined their strength, as well as their meaning and particular characteristics. In the following pages, via explanation and critical reasoning, we attempt to justify the value of body aesthetics and its rejection, when such beauty involves the annulment or the underestimation of other values which are essential for human construction. To do this, we have divided this work into four closely related parts, according to the stated objectives. In the first part, we aim to clarify the concept of beauty, given that the semantic plurality of the educational language makes precision and communication difficult. In the second part, we address the challenges of bodily beauty, its value and antivalue, since bodily aesthetics, albeit valuable in itself, may result in dehumanization, when its strength prevents the development of other values. In the third part, we handle the present culture of the body, which, given the overvaluation of the body, extends to all sectors of society. And finally we indicate the necessary steps to educate in the value of bodily aesthetics, in accordance with the person’s integrity.

Keywords : body aesthetics; values; people; challenges; criticism.

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