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Originally Posted by davem
Doesn't seem to have much 'evolutionary' value as far as I can see. Maybe the 'beauty' we see in a flower is a pointer to, or memory of, something else......
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I prefer the more metaphysical explanation, but this does have a basis in science. To feel repelled by something is entirely natural and it is even displayed by babies. This has a biological basis in that we are steered away from those things which are bad for us e.g. slime, rotten meat, bodily waste. It also means that we can find certain creatures repulsive, e.g. snakes, spiders, scorpions, as we have an instinct that they are dangerous. Likewise, we have the instinct to be attracted by beauty in many forms e.g. the roundness of fruits, bright colours, and yes, flowers.
The odd thing is that in the natural world, in which we are just another creature, certain species exploit this. Some fruits smell repellant - to avoid us eating them, while others are attractive so that we may spread seeds if we pick and eat them, e.g. tomatoes (they grow in large numbers at sewage farms - sorry if anyone was having their tea
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I suppose in my own way there, I have now reduced this discussion to something crude...
