The term love elicits an array of feelings that are hard to describe. Often, the emotions associated with it are a combination of attraction, passion, trust and care. In a more traditional sense, people define love as an emotional bond that is mutually beneficial and often enduring. Throughout history, philosophers and religious thinkers have speculated about the nature of love and modern science has added its own insights. Understanding what love is can help you better write an essay on this topic.
The biological model of love sees it as a mammalian drive, similar to hunger or thirst. It is caused by hormones and neurotrophins, which influence our thoughts and behaviors. As a result, the concept of love is different from one person to another and can vary widely depending on our perceptions.
Psychologist Scott Peck believes that love is an active choice, rather than simply a feeling. According to this view, love requires commitment and a willingness to grow and change. It also involves accepting the other person for who they are. In this way, love is more like a friendship or family relationship than a romantic partner.
Some people believe that there are many types of love, including romantic, familial and platonic. The Bible says that God loves all and protects those who are His, but it is important to differentiate between these different types of love. For example, a mother’s love for her son is unconditional and a true gift from the Lord, but it is not in the same category as romantic love.
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato thought that love is more of a feeling than a decision. He believed that love is an emotion, but that it’s important to understand the difference between loving someone and letting them have control over you. If you love someone based on feelings, then you may feel hurt by their actions or disappointed when they don’t fulfill your expectations. This can lead to a lack of trust, which is why so many marriages and friendships end badly.
Other philosophers have developed theories of love that go beyond simple feelings. In the Hindu tradition, there are three primary forms of love – kama, pragma and agape – that are described by their colors: red, yellow and blue. These are ai (Mandarin:
Bhakti is a devotional form of love for the divine. It’s the type of love that inspires acts of service, such as bringing you medicine or soup when you’re sick. In this type of love, the actions are more important than the words. In fact, ai and karuna may be confused with bhakti when they’re used in Western culture. Ai and karuna are closer to pragma in this case, because they’re concerned with the well-being of your friend or spouse. They want to make sure that you are happy.
