"We find beauty in something done well."
Denis Dutton illustrates what he thinks is the history of beauty, going as far back as the hand ax used 100,000 years ago by the first humans. What was previously thought of as hand axes has been found is such high numbers in Europe and Asia, and in such excellent, unused condition for its delicate blade, that it is thought to have been created as evidence of skill, as something to be admired and sought after as a skill to be had by men, so that women would be attracted to them, much as the pea hen is attracted to the plumage of the peacock.
I can't think of specifically how I would use this in my classroom, outside of mentioning it should the discussion of beauty come up. Interesting to think of an object such as a hand ax being something that was used to attract women.
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