The Sense of Beauty

Date: Tue, 24 February 2026 · 17:00 - 18:00
Cost: Free
Venue: South School, Examination Schools
Address: 75–81 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG, United Kingdom
Event page: https://www.history.ox.ac.uk/event/the-sense-of-beauty

The Sense of Beauty 🏛️✨

Part of The Carlyle Lectures – The Shape of Democracy, this fifth lecture is delivered by Jill Frank, President White Professor of History & Political Science at Cornell University. Turning to Plato’s Philebus, Frank examines how beauty, measure, and proportion shape human judgment — and how these aesthetic concepts inform democratic practices.

The lecture explores how cultivating a “sense of beauty” can support more balanced, attentive, and responsible forms of political engagement.

What to expect:

  • 🎨 A philosophical exploration of beauty, measure, and proportion in Plato’s Philebus
  • đź§  Insights into how aesthetic judgment relates to democratic decision‑making
  • 🏺 Reflections on how beauty can guide ethical and political life