What is Love?

What do you think love is? Is it just infatuation? or is it a state of mind? a choice? an emotion? If you could term love, what would it be? Also, to cite Greek, does the different types and levels of love, such as agape, phileo, eros, etc. have any contribution to its definition?

I'm actually asking for a honest definition, because I'm not here to refute your answer like I normally do. I haven't really come up with a definition myself.

Originally posted by ngeisler88
What do you think love is? Is it just infatuation? or is it a state of mind? a choice? an emotion? If you could term love, what would it be? Also, to cite Greek, does the different types and levels of love, such as agape, phileo, eros, etc. have any contribution to its definition?

Love, in my opinion, is very difficult to define....

Like you said, Greek does have many levels of love.....but English really only has one word.....

I suppose it's all in how you use it....

"I love her"....could mean "She is a great person, and I admire her deeply"....or "I love her...as a friend"....or "I LOVE her"....

Webster's definition is: "A strong positive emotion of regard and affection."

My definition is: "An undescribable feeling of passion and an irristable attraction to someone..."

Of course, that's just my opinion.....

Ask E-Harmony if you want a "real" answer....

it's the moment when you feel that you and someone else are actually the same unity.

A horrible dance track by Haddaway?

"Baby, don't hurt me...no more".

Anybody else have any coherent, intelligent answers?

Originally posted by ngeisler88
Anybody else have any coherent, intelligent answers?

Impossible to define, along the lines of 'energy.' We see the cell divide and are quick to say it is loss. Inexplicably, love is gain.

My wife recently asked one of her students (whose first language was Greek) if she could translate philia into English. The student said it was very difficult, because philia is a “deep” (her word) concept—in the end, she said it means something like “when you lie down, I lie down; where you go, I go...” This is the word we routinely call “brotherly love.” When asked about agape, the young woman just shook her head, and said she didn’t know how to translate that adequately into English.

With that said—

The Greek Orthodox go to some pains to remind us that agape and eros are not strictly separable terms; indeed, sometimes they can be (and are) used interchangeably. I prefer to think of agape as both including and expanding philia and eros. Therefore my personal definition of love-as-agape goes something like:

A passionate caring and concern for the other, along with the urge to intimacy and a willingness to extend oneself (in NT terms, to “to lay or place one’s psyche” ) for the other’s well-being. (Note that, in Matthew 22:39, for example—“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”—that “as” (os in the Greek) means “in a like way as;” in other words, agape is also how we treat ourselves.)

I also think there’s more to Freaky’s comment about “energy” than meets the eye, which is what made me use the word “urge.”

Originally posted by ngeisler88
What do you think love is? Is it just infatuation? or is it a state of mind? a choice? an emotion? If you could term love, what would it be? Also, to cite Greek, does the different types and levels of love, such as agape, phileo, eros, etc. have any contribution to its definition?

I find that the word love in the Greek uses the best definitions for love. Agape is the first word for love in the Greek and generally refers to "pure" or ideal love and is the Greek word in the New Testament that is use to describe God's love for us. For a Biblical definition of agape love look at 1 Corinthians chapter 13. The word Charity is used instead of love so as not to confuse the English translation of love to that of the Greek word agape. The second Greek word for love is eros. Eros refers to passionate love, like between a man and woman. The third Greek word for love is Philia which means friendship. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. The fourth Greek word for love is Storge. This means natural affection such as the love parents feel for their offspring. The last Greed word for love is Xenia and refers to hospitatlity that was a big deal back in the ancient world. Hope this helps.

Originally posted by ngeisler88
What do you think love is? Is it just infatuation? or is it a state of mind? a choice? an emotion? If you could term love, what would it be? Also, to cite Greek, does the different types and levels of love, such as agape, phileo, eros, etc. have any contribution to its definition?

Giving up your life for your friend.

An intense affection for another person based on personal or familial ties.

Originally posted by whodey
I find that the word love in the Greek uses the best definitions for love. Agape is the first word for love in the Greek and generally refers to "pure" or ideal love and is the Greek word in the New Testament that is use to describe God's love for us. For a Biblical definition of agape love look at 1 Corinthians chapter 13. The word Charity is used instead ...[text shortened]... a and refers to hospitatlity that was a big deal back in the ancient world. Hope this helps.

The fourth Greek word for love is Storge. This means natural affection such as the love parents feel for their offspring. The last Greed word for love is Xenia and refers to hospitality that was a big deal back in the ancient world.

Thanks for those! I had forgotten storge, and I didn’t know about xenia: I’ll have to work that in. 🙂

Most of the definitions of love I see here have to do with one on one relationships--love is much broader than that. love is to be willing to lay aside everything you cherish for the benefit of another.You may lay aside your life or maybe your plans for the weekend.Read KJB, I believe corinthians (I or II--?), chapter 13--definition of love and what characteristics it employs.Maybe you will find an answer there?--Ted

Originally posted by ngeisler88
What do you think love is? Is it just infatuation? or is it a state of mind? a choice? an emotion? If you could term love, what would it be? Also, to cite Greek, does the different types and levels of love, such as agape, phileo, eros, etc. have any contribution to its definition?

Its a series of biochemical reactions in the brain, evolved with the function of maximising the transmission of certain genetic configurations through the generations.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Its a series of biochemical reactions in the brain, evolved with the function of maximising the transmission of certain genetic configurations through the generations.

Romantic that I am, I try not to put it that way to my wife though... 😉