Why do we love? A philosophical inquiry - Skye C. Cleary | Summary and Q&A

Summary

This video explores different theories and philosophies about romantic love. It discusses ideas from ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who believed that love is the longing to find a soulmate who will make us feel whole again. German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer suggested that love is a trick of nature to make us procreate, and Nobel Prize-winning philosopher Bertrand Russell argued that love is an escape from loneliness. The video also touches on Buddhist beliefs that attachments, including romantic love, can lead to suffering, and concludes with the idea that love is the desire to integrate with another and infuses our lives with meaning, as proposed by French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir.

Questions & Answers

Q: What did Plato believe about love?

Plato believed that love is the longing to find a soulmate who will make us feel complete. According to him, humans were once creatures with four arms, four legs, and two faces. When they angered the gods, they were split in two, resulting in every person feeling incomplete. Love, for Plato, is the search for the other half that will make us feel whole again.

Q: What theory did Arthur Schopenhauer propose about love?

Schopenhauer suggested that love based on sexual desire is a voluptuous illusion. He believed that we love because our desires lead us to believe that another person will make us happy. However, he argued that this is a misconception. Nature tricks us into procreating, and the sense of fusion we seek in love is ultimately found in our children. Once our sexual desires are satisfied, we are left with the reality of our tormented existence.

Q: According to Bertrand Russell, why do we love?

Russell proposed that we love in order to quench our physical and psychological desires. He believed that without the ecstasy of passionate love, sex would be unsatisfying. Humans have a natural fear of the world, leading us to build hard shells to protect and isolate ourselves. Love, with its delight, intimacy, and warmth, helps us overcome this fear and engage more fully in life.

Q: How did Buddha view romantic love?

Buddha considered romantic love to be a source of suffering. He believed that our passionate cravings and attachments, even in the context of romantic love, are defects. Buddha discovered the eight-fold path, a program for extinguishing desire, with the goal of reaching Nirvana, a state of peace, wisdom, and compassion. While not all Buddhists share this view, the story of "Dream of the Red Chamber" illustrates the sentiment that attachments can lead to tragedy.

Q: What did Simone de Beauvoir propose about love?

Beauvoir saw love as the desire to integrate with another and believed that it infuses our lives with meaning. She cautioned against becoming dependent on the other person to justify our existence, as it can lead to boredom and power games. Instead, Beauvoir advised loving authentically, fostering a relationship more akin to a great friendship. True lovers support each other in discovering themselves, reaching beyond themselves, and enriching their lives and the world together.

Q: What is the conclusion of the video?

The video concludes by acknowledging that falling in love is an emotional rollercoaster ride. It can be scary and exhilarating, making us suffer and soar. While we may never fully understand why we fall in love, it remains a unique and transformative experience. It may lead us to lose ourselves or find ourselves, and it has the potential to be both heartbreaking and the best thing in life. The video challenges viewers to dare to find out for themselves.

Takeaways

Romantic love is a complex and multifaceted experience that has been contemplated by philosophers throughout history. The theories discussed in the video provide different perspectives on the purpose and nature of love. From Plato's belief in finding completeness through a soulmate to Russell's idea of love as an escape from loneliness, each theory offers a distinct way of understanding love's role in our lives. Ultimately, the video suggests that while we may never discover a definitive answer, love remains a powerful force that can transform and enrich our existence.