Michael:
So beauty, as found in the tension between expectation and reality (I love that phrasing), is a kind of beauty, a more appealing beauty, rather than a requirement for all kinds of beauty? For example, a woman who has all the attractive physical characteristics that I'd expect, plus a surprise (a quirky smile), would be more beautiful than one without that specific smile, but the latter would still be beautiful.
In the latter case, where my expectations are not exceeded, I think the main difference is a reduced degree of pleasure. My emotional response would be less, though it would still be strong enough for me to consider her beautiful. In order to get to the point where beauty would be lost, my expectations would have to go unmet, by either raising them (i.e., certain attributes become common and thus less appealing (everyone has blue eyes, but green is where it's at)), or by certain attributes no longer satisfying them (you know, I used to love dimples, but now...). But before that point, where my expectations are met perfectly, there seems to me still beauty to be found.
Though it could be that neither you nor Koster are saying that expectations must be exceeded, where expectation is linked to beauty, in order for something to be considered beautiful. Just that it makes the beauty more apparent. Am I even close?
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