We cannot set knowing the truth as the standard for *choosing*, or the standard among the *models* we can produce. These are often tricky endeavors—too tricky for mortals.
How do we recognize “the true enough”?
The final call is aesthetic.
For humans, those things are easier to discern.
Developing taste is a skill. To notice the subtle and ineffable. To know what needs to be obvious and what doesn’t. To know what to ignore and what to pay attention to.
There is a consistent, observable pattern in how nature unfolds, even without any conscious planning or decision-making.
Trees follow certain natural processes—seeds germinate, roots extend, trunks form, branches reach for sunlight, and leaves emerge when conditions allow.
Rivers follow the pull of gravity—water flows from higher to lower ground, meandering around obstacles and carving paths through landscapes.
Seasons occur due to the Earth’s tilt and orbit—it’s a regular, cyclical shift in climate and daylight that repeats year after year.
None of these phenomena “decide” or “choose.” They happen because of underlying structures and observable regularities in the way things behave—physical, chemical, and biological. There is this spontaneous, self-organizing aspect to the universe.
Beauty is the underlying *pattern *that’s so of itself. Kant calls this a harmonious play, a dance of our senses with our understanding. We just need to cultivate our taste and character to experience it.
The intense concentration of a selection and the planning process should push away unnecessary thoughts. The meditative state of relaxed attention unites us with our environment. We can truly take in what is here and now, and experience its beauty deep in our hearts.
Appreciation for beauty is universal, and good taste can connect us.
Set the compass toward beauty. Life follows as a natural consequence.
It leads us to truth and goodness.
> **Beauty was not simply something to behold; it was something one could do.**
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> — Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye (1970)
2. Research in neuroscience (Zeki, 1999) shows that the brain responds more positively to patterns and structures reflecting the Golden Ratio.