What is love? People have so many ideas as to what this word means. Some say it's one's purpose in life. But what exactly IS this thing we talk so highly of?
Philosophers have been talking about this idea for centuries. People from Aristotle to C.S. Lewis have been mulling over this deep feeling, and most of them have varying ideas with a central core. These four ideas of what love is will be analyzed in depth.
Philia Love
Aristotle loved his friends. He loved walking and talking with his friends in particular, calling them the Peripatetics. He was inspired by his friends' thoughts and felt deep connection to them. Philia love is seen amongst friends in this way. It is a deep connection between people and is essential for human happiness. This is also called platonic or brotherly love, as there is no intimacy, just a connection of souls.
Eros Love
This is love as we see in movies. Romance, passion, intimacy. Eros is the love between lovers particularly. Orginally seen as carnal and animalistic, Plato sees this love as loving the soul in its most pure and ideal form. It is finding happiness through the beauty and truth found in a partner.
Agape Love
This love is the oldest and highest form of love. It bestows honor and affection upon others. This word was used in the time of Homer, and originally, was meant to show the relationship between God and man. In modern times though, it is seen through charity and putting others before yourself. It is love in its most perfect form, as you simply seek the happiness of another far before your own.
Storage Love
CS Lewis defines storage love as loving someone through familiarity and fondness. This allows for us to feel empathy towards others, loyalty towards family, among many other unexplainable happenings. It is the most natural love to us. We are animals, and animals have to form bonds to survive the trials that are life. We learn each other and therefore learn to love each other, faults and all.
Check out these other posts I connected with: The Stoic and I and Modern Day
Runs since transition to remote learning: 10
"Storage" love-- there must be a joke in there somewhere, having to do with couples who accumulate too much stuff. But the term is actually "storge"...
ReplyDelete"Scientifically, there is no reason for this emotion to exist"-- Oh, but what would Darwin say? Or Schopenhauer?
Whatever its genesis or natural raison d'etre, it's clearly one of the things that make life worth living.
Love this topic! haha corny joke. But honestly love is one of the best things in this world and un-explainable in my opinion. I think love is what makes humans so unique and kind. I think love is part of human nature and there are different kinds of love. Friend love, family love, spouse love. Without it we would be emotion less.
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