powder Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I have heard or read a couple of times that love is an involuntary response to virtue. I have never encountered this idea before and I find it intriguing to say the least. this would suggest I imagine that most of what we call and think of as love in relationships, esp some family relationships, is not love at all. I would like to learn more about this if you can point me to some material on the idea and I would like to know your own perspectives. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjt Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Hi powder, this was also intriguing to me when I first heard about the concept of love being a response to virtue... and now it's become an integral part of my life. The best resource I can think of is Stefan Molyneux's book, Real Time Relationships. He does an excellent job of explaining the concept, supporting it with evidence and examples, and showing how it can apply to you personally. It is available here on freedomainradio.com/free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powder Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 great! thanks tjt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinQCIL Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Hi Powder. I was intrigued, and a little baffled when I encountered Stef's definition of love in Real Time Relationships. In addition to RTR, he deals with this issue at some length in On Truth: The Tyranny of Illusion. I found his discussion there quite helpful. And you are right, much of what we have been conditioned to think of as "love" in our relationships doesn't make the cut under Stef's definition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickC Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Yes, it has been a controversial position (for some) over the years. But a lack of virtue merely highlights the problem with those relationships. A lack of honesty and integrity cannot be foundations for trust amongst our friends and loved ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMatrixHasMe Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 If we are virtuous ourselves, love will be an emotion that we will experience when we are in the presence of another who is also virtuous. Does this answer your question in a way that makes sense to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powder Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 If we are virtuous ourselves, love will be an emotion that we will experience when we are in the presence of another who is also virtuous. Does this answer your question in a way that makes sense to you? I don't know enough about the idea to actually have any questions about it at this point. but that really does make perfect sense, and it makes you wonder what all those un-virtuous people are talking about when they speak of love I suppose. I will read 'Real Time Relationships" - thanks for the responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjt Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 but that really does make perfect sense, and it makes you wonder what all those un-virtuous people are talking about when they speak of love I suppose. I would say it's codependency that's considered love. Or they think that just being family means love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynicist Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I don't know enough about the idea to actually have any questions about it at this point. but that really does make perfect sense, and it makes you wonder what all those un-virtuous people are talking about when they speak of love I suppose. I will read 'Real Time Relationships" - thanks for the responses. Neurotic attachment of some kind, like codependency as tjt mentioned above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holo Cene Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I think of love as the fullness of true exchange. The other who has given reason and evidence of virtue is the extension of a trust that allows the loosening of protective boundaries that can then lead to an emotional exchange where the self becomes intermingled with another thus selfishness can then be extended to another and the reflection of the self in the other achieves a balance of mutuality and reciprocity which leads to the true motivation and desire to extend good and eschew evil towards another person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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