A Philosophical and Biblical approach to the fundamental meaning of love. read the previous edition
ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS
Here is an attempt to articulate some theories about love and also argument(s) raised against them.
Many do not seem to have a univocal opinion about love. There are philosophers who hold monistic views. These people believe that love can be known only through either the mind, the heart (emotivism) or material things (materialism).
Mind determiner
These are people who believe love can only be known through the mind. They claim that it is only the mind that has the reasoning power to determine what an objective and real love is. They argue that the heart can be deceptive, misleading and blind to what love actually is.
Heart determiner
These are people who believe that love can only be known by the heart. they are of the view that the most prominent organ that responds to love is the heart.
These people claim the heart is the source of human feelings that is responsible for handling matters of love. For that reason, the heart is the best reference point when it comes to the determination of love. And since they believe the heart is the first cause of love, they argue that without the heart, the mind is nothing but a “Tabula Rasa” (empty slate) when it comes to love.
Material determiner
There are also those who believe that real love is contingent on material stuff. The more one receives or gives material stuff or wealth, the more an expression of love is being communicated and emphasized. Additionally, when it comes to the materialist theories about love, we can talk of behaviourism, since behaviour is something that can be seen and measured. The behaviourists also argue that love in itself is abstract. This makes it difficult to examine in order to come out with an objective and universal account of love. Therefore in their attempt to solve the problem of what love is, they adopted a reductionist approach by reducing love to behaviours. They assert that it is only by analyzing the actions or behaviours of people that love and that which is not love can be known or deciphered.
I believe these are the popular theories about love that many of us hold. In my final edition, I will present to you my take on what love really is.
