What is Love?

[Ampoliros]

Your survival instinct is the first instinct you have. It has been observed countless times in the wild, a mother in grave danger will abandon her offspring if its possible for her to escape.

Uhm, I'm gonna have to call for evidence on this one. I'd consider it pretty well known that say, a female bear will fight quite viciously to protect her cub - to the death, if need be.

No Im responding to the scenario you gave. And in that scenario, the people involved would do thier best to remove themselves from danger WITHOUT you doing anything.

That'd obviously be the best response, but I trying to get responses on a hypothetical, and you kept dodging by arguing about conditions.

You are more likely to choose self preservation. However, human beings are group animals, we live and work in groups.

The group dynamic would suggest that SOME individuals would recognize that thier sacrifice would allow the greater group to survive. Animals that survive in a group do what they can to ensure the survival of that group.

Some people have this group preservation instinct. For any number of reasons, certain people retain the group preservation instincts that would motivate them to sacrifice themselves for annother person or group of people.

Other people dont have these instincts, again, for any number of reasons. Without the group preservation instincts, that person falls back on the instincts of a solitary animal which means they hold thier own survival above all else

Please elaborate on the reasons. I agree that there's some form of group preservation (and species preservation) instinct, but I see no reason why it should be lacking or missing in any individual in a social species, such as humans.

 

[Helo]

Uhm, I'm gonna have to call for evidence on this one. I'd consider it pretty well known that say, a female bear will fight quite viciously to protect her cub - to the death, if need be.

Some animals will do that, and some will cut thier losses and get the hell out of Dodge if they can.

A bear has one or two cubs and not very often. If a mother always lets her cub get killed and save her own butt, the species would die out. Because it takes so long to raise a cub and then produce annother one, the cubs are not expendable.

That'd obviously be the best response, but I trying to get responses on a hypothetical, and you kept dodging by arguing about conditions.

Because your hypothetical is soo off the wall that you wouldnt respond to it as you would a normal situation. Thats like saying "Ok, how would you save someone who was drowning in molten lava?" The situation kinda has a built in solution that doesnt really require you to do anything. And then if you say "Well suppose they are immune to fire." Then you have to ask "Well what about me? What about a boat? Will the heat effect other people?"

Please elaborate on the reasons.

A person that has the group preservation instincts may have had been brought up a certain way or experiences in thier lifetime may have made them more aware of a group dynamic. They may have simply been born more aware of the group preservation instincts.

A person who does not have these instincts or is able to repress them tends to have whats called a sociopathic personality. Theyre interested in themselves and thier own desires. They may not have the emotional or mental maturity to look outside thier own selves and consider other people. The causes for this are the same as the causes for the development of group preservation instincts. Childhood experiences, what your parents teach you, genetics etc etc.

I agree that there's some form of group preservation (and species preservation) instinct, but I see no reason why it should be lacking or missing in any individual in a social species, such as humans.

Humans have grown into complex social creatures. We've been able to over-ride certain aspects of our instincts, IE: Our idea of celibacy, it goes against our natural instincts but we've been able to resist the natural impulse to breed

 

[Ampoliros]

Some animals will do that, and some will cut thier losses and get the hell out of Dodge if they can.

A bear has one or two cubs and not very often. If a mother always lets her cub get killed and save her own butt, the species would die out. Because it takes so long to raise a cub and then produce annother one, the cubs are not expendable.

True; but I'd have to say that humans run more along the lines of the bear (not many children, not very often, long 'growing up' type phase). Protecting one's children even at the expense of your own life is typically a very important thing.

Because your hypothetical is soo off the wall that you wouldnt respond to it as you would a normal situation. Thats like saying "Ok, how would you save someone who was drowning in molten lava?" The situation kinda has a built in solution that doesnt really require you to do anything. And then if you say "Well suppose they are immune to fire." Then you have to ask "Well what about me? What about a boat? Will the heat effect other people?" [/font]

The key part, though, wasn't the situation. I proposed it as a simplistic way to view it, which you bogged down in details. And, FYI, while the situation was indeed terrible, in my defense I'm not that creative and I had watched Jumanji the night before.

I'll respond to the rest later.

 

[Helo]

True; but I'd have to say that humans run more along the lines of the bear (not many children, not very often, long 'growing up' type phase). Protecting one's children even at the expense of your own life is typically a very important thing.

Humans are group animals, we have other people to look after a child if its parent is killed. This makes one individual more willing to sacrifice for the survival of the group

The key part, though, wasn't the situation. I proposed it as a simplistic way to view it, which you bogged down in details

Im not a big picture person, I want to have all the information I can before I make a decision or choice.

 

[jinkazama]

Love is doing what is right than conform to rest of society, absence of hatred.

 

[Ampoliros]

A person that has the group preservation instincts may have had been brought up a certain way or experiences in thier lifetime may have made them more aware of a group dynamic. They may have simply been born more aware of the group preservation instincts.

A person who does not have these instincts or is able to repress them tends to have whats called a sociopathic personality. Theyre interested in themselves and thier own desires. They may not have the emotional or mental maturity to look outside thier own selves and consider other people. The causes for this are the same as the causes for the development of group preservation instincts. Childhood experiences, what your parents teach you, genetics etc etc.

Isn't this only a small segment of the population, though? IE, not indicative of the majority of humanity?

Humans have grown into complex social creatures. We've been able to over-ride certain aspects of our instincts, IE: Our idea of celibacy, it goes against our natural instincts but we've been able to resist the natural impulse to breed [/font]

Certainly. However, much of our behavior still derives from these same instincts, and the interaction of those instincts with society.

 

[Helo]

Isn't this only a small segment of the population, though? IE, not indicative of the majority of humanity?

This is very true, most people will do something inherently dangerous to save annother person.

Certainly. However, much of our behavior still derives from these same instincts, and the interaction of those instincts with society.

Of course, many things we do as humans are extensions of certain instincts that we had when we were monkeys running around in the trees.

 

[thenewageriseth]

Baby don't hurt me,

don't hurt me no more.



Sorry... it had to be done.

Seriously..... If you want to understand love I would suggest that you look at the words for it in another language. That does sound odd eh?

What I mean is that English has all of...erm.. one word for love. If it is your brother or father or lover or whatever we use the same word.

LOL Oh I love that song! by Haddaway! so raw! That's true about the English language. I heard that another language has plenty words for love I think.

Hmm....was it Spanish? French? German...hmm...

 

[thenewageriseth]

What is love ?

Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love

Oh I don't know
Why you're not fair
I give you my love
But you don't care
So what is right
And what is wrong
Give me a sign

What is love
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more

Oh I don't know
What can I do
What else can I say
It's up to you
I know we're one
Just me and you
I can't go on



I want no other
No other love
This is your life
our time
When we are together
I need you forever
Is it love

Yeah, baby! That's the JOINT! (song) Rox my sox! This is a good thread as well!

 

[thenewageriseth]

I think that agape love is one of the best kinds of love and it takes a truly beautiful person to show it
or rather maybe someone otherworldly!

 

[CSMR]

Here's my version of love - Having respect for someone. Caring about their well-being. Wanting them to have as good a life as possible.

How do you define love?

Yes this is love. Love respects another person however nasty as created by God and given redemption by God; it points them upwards to that which is good, and works, desires and hopes for good for them, which is to have God's grace.

 

[bannaboat101]

Here's my version of love - Having respect for someone. Caring about their well-being. Wanting them to have as good a life as possible.

How do you define love?

This is what love is

1 Cor 13:4-8: Love is patient and Kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrogdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.