Where did the conception of perfection come from?

Question

As perfection is impossible to attain, is this conception innate in us, or a negation of our imperfection?

I understand the origins for the word 'perfect' and the Greek term, which better translates as 'completeness' today. But I'm curious about the modern meaning, and how it came to be so abstract and such things.

When people say 'it's a perfect day for sailing', I don't think this really relates to the conception of perfection, what they mean is just that it is a good day for sailing, and the same can be said of many similar things, such as a perfect book... etc

Answer 1

Hey Seok-Ju K,

Perfection is a very old concept. The earliest humans needed to get better at their hunting and survival techniques. Ancient people have made beautiful artwork, vases, woven materials, etc. and driven the arts to the best they could produce.

Wikipedia backs this up, and gives you way more than should be posted here, this is a sample:

The genealogy of the concept of "perfection" reaches back beyond Latin, to Greek. The Greek equivalent of the Latin "perfectus" was "teleos." The latter Greek expression generally had concrete referents, such as a perfect physician or flutist, a perfect comedy or a perfect social system. Hence the Greek "teleiotes" was not yet so fraught with abstract and superlative associations as would be the Latin "perfectio" or the modern "perfection." To avoid the latter associations, the Greek term has generally been translated as "completeness" rather than "perfection."

Answer 2

I think it comes from an innate competitive nature and a natural curiosity.

People use standards to gauge how they are doing. Whatever the measure; time, beauty, amount, precision... a better product tends to get a better response.

As the quality keeps improving it begs the question, where does improvement end? Is there an end... we give it the name 'perfection'.

It's kind of like the question is there an end to time. We see a definite start and end of life, so the concept of forever is hard to grasp for a lot of people. Likewise is there actually a real perfection. Even if you get a perfect score, could you have got a bonus point? Could you have gotten that score more efficiently, more elegantly? Is there really an end to perfecting something?

Peace

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Perfection is a concept derived from the idea that we are as humans less than perfect as compared to a deity which we perceive as totally perfect in mind, body, and spirit if in fact that deity has those qualities. However, perfection is qualitative in the sense that we set parameters to determine acceptable levels of perfection as with biblical characterizations such as Jesus. Other levels of perfection can be demonstrated by Gandhi or Mother Teresa. We attach perfection to everyday living as with the perfect day for sailing or fishing. It is said that man has fallen from grace, fallen from a heavenly utopia where all is perfect. Now we are imperfect in mind, body and spirit. We kill, maim, slaughter, cannibalize, rape, torture and prey upon ourselves like beasts in a jungle. Perfection may be possible to attain but at this rate I would say we have a long long way to go. Individually it may be easier to attain but it is questionable as to what standard we should adhere to in order to reach the state of perfection.

Answer 5

Perhaps perfection derives from our ability to compare one thing to another and our socialization to an increasingly common norm. ...So whereas beauty once was different in various societies, over time, gravitation developed towards standards--dueto communication and the demise of regional differences.

Answer 6

Did it come from beauty magazines?