290 - Nicholas Humphrey: Why Does Beauty Exist?
Summary
In this episode, evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar discusses his new book, *Why Is the World So Beautiful?*, exploring the evolutionary roots of human aesthetic appreciation. He argues that beauty is fundamentally defined by "rhyme"—a structural relationship of likeness tempered with difference—which aids cognitive classification and survival. Dunbar distinguishes human aesthetic emotion from animal cognition, suggesting that humans uniquely perceive nature as the work of an artist, triggering social and emotional responses. The discussion also covers his experimental work with monkeys…
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