Humans have been in search of love since the beginning of time. Romantic relationships are intoxicating and heart-filling. But sometimes, they are also draining and heartbreaking. Despite the pain that can come from romantic love, we still pursue it daily. But why do we love at all?
Some say it brings meaning and purpose to life, while others say it’s an escape from the loneliness. While scientists have still yet to find an answer to the mystery of the human heart, famous historical philosophers have attempted to answer this very question: Why do we love?
Plato’s Answer
Plato has tried answering this question by saying that we love to find completeness in ourselves. His “Symposium” shares a story about humans once having four arms. One day, these humans angered Zeus, who sliced them in half with a lightning bolt. Since then, humans have been on the search to find their “other half” so they could be complete again.
Arthur Schopenhauer’s Answer
German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer had a much different answer to the question of love. He believed that love based on sexual desire was an illusion. According to Schopenhauer, humans love because their desires mislead them to think another person will make them happy. This is nature’s way of tricking humans into procreating and sustaining the human race.
Bertrand Russel’s Answer
According to English philosopher Bertrand Russel, love is an escape from the loneliness that haunts every human individual. He believes the warmth and close intimacy that comes from the love of romantic relationships helps human beings overcome their fear of being alone and fear of the world.
Buddha’s Answer
According to Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha, love is a misleading affliction. He believed love was a distraction of human passions. This distraction was leading people away from the greater human purpose of reaching Nirvana. Romantic love, like other worldly passions, only brought suffering.
Each answer given by some of the greatest thinkers in history are all very different. However, one thing that is certain is that whoever chooses to love will experience a rollercoaster of emotions. This rollercoaster seems to be a journey that most people are happy to endure in order to experience the depth of love.
