Love as an Emotion and a Moral Duty and Love

Love's Dual Nature: An Affective Impulse and a Moral Imperative

Love, in its profound complexity, often eludes simple definition. It is at once one of humanity's most visceral emotions and, paradoxically, one of its most demanding duties. This article explores how philosophical traditions, particularly those found within the Great Books of the Western World, grapple with this duality, presenting love not merely as an involuntary feeling but as a profound moral imperative that shapes the very essence of man's ethical existence. From the passionate eros of Plato to the charitable agape of Augustine and the dutiful practical love of Kant, we uncover the rich tapestry of love as both an inherent human experience and a deliberate act of will.

The Bifurcated Heart of Love: Emotion and Volition

The experience of love is undeniably powerful, often overwhelming, and seemingly beyond our direct control. We "fall in love," suggesting an involuntary descent into a state of intense feeling. Yet, for millennia, philosophers have also insisted that love is a choice, an active commitment, and even a moral obligation. This tension between love as an emotion—a spontaneous affection or desire—and love as a duty—a conscious decision and a principle of action—forms the core of its enduring philosophical inquiry.

Love as an Emotion: The Inevitable Spark

The emotional aspect of love is perhaps its most immediately recognizable form. It manifests as a powerful attraction, a deep affection, or an intense longing. This dimension speaks to our inherent nature, our capacity for connection, and the primal forces that draw one man to another, or to ideals.

Plato's Eros: In works like the Symposium and Phaedrus, Plato describes eros not merely as sexual desire, but as a longing for beauty, goodness, and ultimately, the divine. It is an ascending force, a passionate yearning that begins with physical attraction but, ideally, elevates the soul towards intellectual and spiritual apprehension. This eros is a powerful, almost divine madness, an emotion that drives the man towards higher truths.
Aristotle's Philia: While distinct from passionate love, Aristotle's concept of philia (friendship) in Nicomachean Ethics encompasses a wide range of affections, including familial love, camaraderie, and deep bonds between individuals. Philia can be based on utility, pleasure, or, in its highest form, on virtue. Even the highest form, "friendship of virtue," begins with an emotional resonance—a mutual recognition of goodness and a shared delight in the other's character. It is a natural inclination for man to seek companionship and bond with others.

These classical perspectives highlight love's initial affective pull, its ability to stir the soul and direct our desires, often preceding conscious deliberation. It is the raw, often uncontrollable, force that initiates many of our most significant relationships.

Love as a Moral Duty: The Deliberate Choice

Beyond the initial emotional surge, many philosophical and theological traditions argue that love matures into, or ought to be, a deliberate act of will—a moral duty. This perspective emphasizes commitment, respect, and a sustained effort to promote the well-being of others, regardless of fluctuating feelings.

Augustine's Caritas (Agape): For Augustine, particularly in Confessions and City of God, the highest form of love is caritas, or divine charity (agape). This love is not primarily an emotion but an ordering of the will, a fundamental disposition of the soul to love God above all else and one's neighbor as oneself. It is a duty rooted in divine commandment, a deliberate choice to will the good for another, even for one's enemies. Augustine sees this love as the "weight" that moves the soul, a profound moral orientation.
Aquinas's Love as Willing the Good: Following Aristotle and Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologica, defines love as "to will the good of another." This definition emphasizes the volitional aspect. While emotions might initiate attraction, true love, especially caritas, involves an intellectual apprehension of the other's goodness and a deliberate act of the will to seek and promote that good. It is a duty that demands consistent action and intention.
Kant's Practical Love: Immanuel Kant, in Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, draws a sharp distinction between "pathological love" (love as an inclination, an emotion) and "practical love" (love as a duty). For Kant, genuine moral action must be done from duty, not merely in accordance with it. Therefore, to love one's neighbor as a duty means to act beneficently towards them, to respect their inherent worth as rational beings, regardless of whether one feels affection for them. This love is commanded, an imperative for every rational man.

Aspect of Love	Description	Key Thinkers (Great Books)
Emotion	Spontaneous affection, desire, attraction, feeling. Often involuntary and intense.	Plato (Eros), Aristotle (Philia as initial spark)
Duty	Deliberate choice, commitment, act of will, moral imperative, willing the good.	Augustine (Caritas), Aquinas (Willing the good), Kant (Practical Love)

The Interplay: Emotion as Foundation, Duty as Framework

The most comprehensive understanding of love recognizes that these two dimensions are not mutually exclusive but deeply intertwined. The initial emotion of love can serve as a powerful catalyst, inspiring us towards acts of kindness and care. However, emotions are fickle; they can wax and wane. It is the commitment to love as a duty that provides the stability and resilience necessary for enduring relationships and ethical action.

A mature love, therefore, often begins with an emotional pull, but it is sustained and deepened by the conscious decision to uphold the duty to care, respect, and promote the well-being of the beloved. This applies not only to personal relationships but also to the broader concept of humanitarian love, where a sense of shared humanity (an emotional connection) can inspire the duty to alleviate suffering and promote justice for all man.

(Image: A classical marble sculpture depicting two figures, perhaps embracing or engaged in deep conversation, with one figure gently reaching out to the other. The figures convey a sense of both passionate connection and profound, thoughtful engagement, symbolizing the intertwining of emotional bond and conscientious duty within human relationships.)

Conclusion: The Evolving Understanding of Love

From the ancient Greek yearning for beauty to the Christian imperative of charity and the Kantian demand for practical benevolence, the Great Books of the Western World illuminate love's multifaceted nature. It is a fundamental emotion that stirs the soul and connects us, yet it is also a profound moral duty that calls man to higher ethical standards. To truly understand love is to appreciate this dynamic interplay—the spontaneous ignition of affection coupled with the deliberate, unwavering commitment to the good of another. This dual essence makes love one of the most powerful and transformative forces in human existence, shaping individual lives and the very fabric of society.

Video by: The School of Life

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