--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and…" description: "\"Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.\" — Carl von Clausewitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg" --- # Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates… ![“Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg) > “Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.” [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beauty cannot be reduced to mathematical formulas; it transcends quantifiable dimensions. **In simple terms:** Beauty is more than math. Key Takeaway Appreciate qualitative aspects. Themes beauty subjectivity art Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - design - visual arts - personal taste Key Concepts aesthetic theory philosophy of art Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance logic and feeling in art? - When is measurement useful? A Different Perspective Quantitative analysis can still inform design. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-defined-1556665/) [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Circles Ellipses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles-ellipses-4636097/) [Created Geometrical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-geometrical-4636096/) [Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/) [Formulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formulas/) [Geometrical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geometrical-1039466/) ## Related quotes > [Beauty is not defined by the clothes you wear or the makeup on your face BUT by the way you carry your struggles with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-jauregui/beauty-is-not-defined-by-the-clothes-you-wear-or-the-makeup-on-your/) [Lauren Jauregui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-jauregui/) > [It can be a work by Mondrian, a piece of music by Schönberg or Mozart, a painting by Leonardo, Barnett Newman or also Jackson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/it-can-be-a-work-by-mondrian-a-piece-of-music-by-sch-nberg-or-mozart/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [There is still a difference between something and nothing, but it is purely geometrical and there is nothing behind the geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/there-is-still-a-difference-between-something-and-nothing-but-it-is/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [We cannot ... prove geometrical truths by arithmetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/we-cannot-prove-geometrical-truths-by-arithmetic/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Geometry is of much assistance in architecture, and in particular it teaches us the use of the rule and compasses, by which especially we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/geometry-is-of-much-assistance-in-architecture-and-in-particular-it/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [“Deep down, it's all baseball, no matter what kind of geometrical shape you play it with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-d-burns/deep-down-it-s-all-baseball-no-matter-what-kind-of-geometrical-shape/) [Vernon D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-d-burns/) > [The mathematical difficulties of the theory of rotation arise chiefly from the want of geometrical illustrations and sensible images, by which we might fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clerk-maxwell/the-mathematical-difficulties-of-the-theory-of-rotation-arise-chiefly/) [James Clerk Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clerk-maxwell/) > [Many transition states have a well-defined preferred geometrical requirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-transition-states-have-a-well-defined-preferred-geometrical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For Valéry, the nature of beauty is that it cannot be defined; beauty is precisely “the ineffable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/for-val-ry-the-nature-of-beauty-is-that-it-cannot-be-defined-beauty/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Beauty, as defined by society at large, seemed to be only about who was best at looking like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-grealy/beauty-as-defined-by-society-at-large-seemed-to-be-only-about-who-was/) [Lucy Grealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-grealy/) > [“A society where feminine beauty is defined not by the human self on genuine intellectual and sentimental grounds, but by a computer software on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/a-society-where-feminine-beauty-is-defined-not-by-the-human-self-on/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Ladies, beauty is not defined by the size of you jeans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-escalate/ladies-beauty-is-not-defined-by-the-size-of-you-jeans/) [Robert Escalate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-escalate/) > [Beauty is not defined by the size of your jeans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-tyler/beauty-is-not-defined-by-the-size-of-your-jeans/) [Liv Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-tyler/) > [“to see beauty is to learn the private language of meaning which is another's life - to recognize and relish what is. beauty must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-davis/to-see-beauty-is-to-learn-the-private-language-of-meaning-which-is/) [Nigel Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-davis/) > [“If beauty is truth, and truth is beauty, they are defined by each other, so how do we know the meaning of either?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-dellaira/if-beauty-is-truth-and-truth-is-beauty-they-are-defined-by-each-other/) [Ava Dellaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-dellaira/) ## More by Carl von Clausewitz > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Politics is the womb in which war develops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/politics-is-the-womb-in-which-war-develops/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [ Rather than comparing \[war\] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-could-more-accurately-compare-it/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/savage-peoples-are-ruled-by-passion-civilized-peoples-by-the-mind/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/after-we-have-thought-out-everything-carefully-in-advance-and-have/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Intelligence alone is not courage, we often see that the most intelligent people are irresolute. Since in the rush of events a man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/intelligence-alone-is-not-courage-we-often-see-that-the-most/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [The great uncertainty of all data in war is because all action, to a certain extent, planned in a mere twilight - like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-great-uncertainty-of-all-data-in-war-is-because-all-action-to-a/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Self-reliance is the best defence against the pressures of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/self-reliance-is-the-best-defence-against-the-pressures-of-the-moment/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [War is the realm of uncertainty; three-quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-the-realm-of-uncertainty-three-quarters-of-the-factors-on/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [We repeat again: strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one’s balance in spite of them. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/we-repeat-again-strength-of-character-does-not-consist-solely-in/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [There is only one decisive victory: the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/there-is-only-one-decisive-victory-the-last/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [A conqueror is always a lover of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/a-conqueror-is-always-a-lover-of-peace/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-nothing-but-a-continuation-of-politics-with-the-admixture-of/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [War is not merely a political act but a real political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, a carrying out of the same by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-not-merely-a-political-act-but-a-real-political-instrument-a/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) [Explore all 181 Carl von Clausewitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/) [Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl von Clausewitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-and-ordinates-neither-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beauty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-and-ordinates-neither-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_beauty_beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-an_2980987.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their…” — Carl von Clausewitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Carl von Clausewitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-and-ordinates-neither-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/beauty-cannot-be-defined-by-abscissas-and-ordinates-neither-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```