That "feels right" thing is "the quality without a name" from "The timeless way of building" by Christopher Alexander: it is "fitness for the purpose" or, perha

That "feels right" thing is "the quality without a name" from "The timeless way of building" by Christopher Alexander: it is "fitness for the purpose" or, perhaps, "being true to its own nature". It is both very real and very elusive. Russian carpenters had a saying to the effect of "to do the job without tricks and let the measure and beauty to guide you". The primary skill here is not to do a thing, but to listen to what the thing itself is telling. (See also "The stone flower" by P. Bazhov).