Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
Nothing is beautiful, only man: on this piece of naivete rests all aesthetics, it is the first truth of aesthetics. Let us immediately add its second: nothing is ugly but degenerate man -- the domain of aesthetic judgment is therewith defined.
Summary
This quote suggests that beauty and ugliness are subjective and ultimately dependent on human perception. It argues that beauty cannot exist independently of human beings, and that it is the first fundamental truth in aesthetics. It further states that ugliness is a result of degenerate human behavior. Therefore, this perspective defines the scope of aesthetic judgment, asserting that all judgments of beauty and ugliness stem from the perception and actions of mankind.