NOTES AND COMMENTS The beauty of sensory ecology Fernando Otálora-Luna 1 · Elis Aldana 2 Received: 15 March 2017 / Accepted: 26 July 2017 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 Abstract Sensory ecology is a discipline that focuses on how living creatures use information to survive, but not to live. By trans-defining the orthodox concept of sensory ecology, a serious heterodox question arises: how do organisms use their senses to live, i.e. to enjoy or suffer life? To respond to such a query the objective (time-independent) and emotional (non-rational) meaning of symbols must be revealed. Our program is distinct from both the neo-Darwinian and the classical ecological perspective because it does not focus on survival values of phenotypes and their functions, but asks for the aesthetic effect of biological structures and their symbolism. Our message recognizes that sensing apart from having a survival value also has a beauty value. Thus, we offer a provoking and inspiring new view on the sensory relations of ‘living things’ and their surroundings, where the innovating power of feelings have more weight than the privative power of reason. Keywords Biology and philosophy · Sensory ecology · Aesthetics · Surviving versus living · Phenomenology To Alba A chacun sa pente : à chacun aussi son but, son ambition si l’on veut, son goût le plus secret et son plus clair idéal. Le mien était enfermé dans ce mot de beauté, si difficile & Fernando Ota ´lora-Luna fotalora@ivic.gob.ve Elis Aldana otaloraluna@gmail.com 1 Laboratory of Sensory Ecology, Multidisciplinary Science Center, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, Loma de Los Guamos 5107, Me ´rida, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 2 Laboratory of Entomology “Herman Lent”, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Los Andes, Me ´rida 5101, Me ´rida, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 123 HPLS (2017)39:20 DOI 10.1007/s40656-017-0149-y