The Nature of Love

The nature of love is complex, and theories about it tend to avoid explicitly reductionistic language. While there are some conceptual connections between elements of love, such as the underlying emotions, these accounts tend to be largely ad hoc and often do not take account of the full range of its complexities. Thus, despite the plethora of theories on love, these are all worth reading. Here are some important points to consider in understanding love.

The nature of love is complex, but can be broken down into three parts: physical, mental, and emotional. Researchers agree that love is an emotion, though some disagree that it is a cultural phenomenon. In addition to being a fundamental human emotion, love can be biological and evolutionary. Neurophysiological studies of romantic love have shown that it triggers increased activation in reward brain regions, and similar to that of cocaine. The three components of love may differ in the way that they are expressed.

Despite the complexities of love, it is possible to recognize certain signs. Those in love may feel totally committed to their partner and be willing to do anything for them. Their attachment is growing rapidly, and these emotions often influence their decisions. They may even lead to an overly aggressive or self-centred behavior. A good relationship counselor can help you determine if you are truly in love and move on. This is because they understand the ins and outs of love, and can help you determine what signs are present.

The third kind of theory of love defines love as distinctive modes of valuing a person. This type of view further distinguishes between eros and agape and their respective modes of valuation. The value we attach to someone we love is ultimately dependent on the way we view that value. So if we are seeking value from our relationship, it is possible that the value of eros is more important than the value attached to agape.

The bestowal view of love reveals the difficulty of explaining love. A most common approach is to see love as a creative process rather than a response to antecedent values. While it has a kernel of truth, this view does miss an important element of the nature of love. It is a creative process that is not contingent upon an antecedent value. And a bestower view of love inevitably overlooks this aspect of love.

A robust concern view, by contrast, emphasizes the importance of robust concern in understanding the nature of love. While this view makes sense of the fact that the beloved changes his or her identity because of concern, it does not acknowledge this as a central characteristic of love. This approach is also prone to missing the central features of love as a conative activity. This view also overlooks the central role of autonomy in love. So, the concern view fails to account for the emotional responsiveness that a conative agent experiences when falling in love.