What did Feynman say about beauty?

Richard Feynman notably discussed how scientific understanding enhances the appreciation of beauty, rather than detracting from it. He pushed back against the notion that science takes away the enjoyment or mystery by merely reducing phenomena to scientific concepts. Feynman expressed that as a scientist, he could appreciate the beauty of a flower from an artistic perspective, but also see additional beauty from a scientific point of view, including understanding the processes that allow a flower to develop from the elements. He believed that science added to the beauty of the world rather than subtracted from it 1.

In the same vein, his perspectives on teaching and wonder suggest that the wonder of understanding is a reward in itself, and it only augments one's experience of beauty 2. Feynman's view of science and beauty speaks to the depth of understanding that scientific knowledge can provide, allowing one to see more layers and connections in the world around us that contribute to its beauty.