Is love a thing?

[Magrat]

Inspired by another thread; I didn't see this addressed anywhere else specifically. Forgive me if I missed it.

What is love? What exactly causes our minds/hormones/bodies to overreact when a certain person is around? I'm referring specifically to romantic love, because as Dawkins pointed out so clearly in The Selfish Gene, the love of people to whom we are related is likely a result of our genetic material.

Love can be painful. People die for it. We live for another person, and you often see elderly couples who die in quick succession because they can't live without each other. And I'll be honest, until about a year ago I didn't believe it was real, myself.

Everyone from theologists to scientists to Cap Kirk have tried to define it, to understand it, to even control it, but haven't. Can we, skeptical community, do better?

 

[stanfr]

Love is what happens when people get sentimental about lust...
ha! sorry, being so cynical...

No--

"Love...
Love...
Love...
Love is a Notion!"

(copyright 2016, by stanfr)

 

[Magrat]

I can understand it being sentimental lust, in some cases. But elderly people who aren't capable of sex, but die for one another? Lustful sentimental memories maybe?

 

[Noztradamus]

It was on Veronica Mars

I thought our story was epic, you know. You and me. Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined and blood shed. Epic.

 

[stanfr]

I can understand it being sentimental lust, in some cases. But elderly people who aren't capable of sex, but die for one another? Lustful sentimental memories maybe?

you said you limited it to 'romantic love'. Identical twins in many cases would be as attached to each other as an elderly couple.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Yes, love is a thing, there are several kinds of love bonding, and it is genetically based.

[/thread]

 

[phiwum]

Yes, love is a thing, there are several kinds of love bonding, and it is genetically based.

[/thread]

Sure, that's all you have to say. Solved it, Skeptic Ginger! Great!

 

[Mike!]

It's not just a thing, Love is a many splendored thing.

 

[JPK]

Oh oh catch that buzz
Love is the drug I'm thinking of
Oh oh can't you see
Love is the drug, got a hook in me
Oh oh catch that buzz
Love is the drug I'm thinking of
Oh oh can't you see
Love is the drug for me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n3OepDn5GU

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Sure, that's all you have to say. Solved it, Skeptic Ginger! Great!

I didn't solve it, biologists did. I'm just the messenger.

 

[Polaris]

Of course it is! Haven't you seen Interstellar?

 

[stanfr]

Of course it is! Haven't you seen Interstellar?

Haven't you seen The Thing? That wasn't love

 

[Archie Gemmill Goal]

I can understand it being sentimental lust, in some cases. But elderly people who aren't capable of sex, but die for one another? Lustful sentimental memories maybe?

Is there actual evidence that this is a real thing and not just coincidence?

If there is then I imagine it would be as much to do with simply being alone as with having lost their partner specifically.

 

[Magrat]

Oh oh catch that buzz
Love is the drug I'm thinking of
Oh oh can't you see
Love is the drug, got a hook in me
Oh oh catch that buzz
Love is the drug I'm thinking of
Oh oh can't you see
Love is the drug for me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n3OepDn5GU

I am so surprised you didn't give me Ben Folds Five

 

[Magrat]

Is there actual evidence that this is a real thing and not just coincidence?

If there is then I imagine it would be as much to do with simply being alone as with having lost their partner specifically.

Good point. I'm not sure how we could study this phenomenon though...can't really ask dead people why they gave up.

 

[bruto]

Well, as long as we're going to youtube, here is one of the all time great. Sidney Bechet and Charlie Shavers do Cole Porter:

 

[JPK]

But really...What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a second hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken

 

[Magrat]

But really...What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a second hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken

My friend, you have no idea how much I'd like to see you in the Tina turner wig. Can you do proud Mary too?

 

[angrysoba]

Yes, love is a thing, there are several kinds of love bonding, and it is genetically based.

[/thread]

Genetically based? Maybe in the Deep South, but ...

 

[JoeMorgue]

Yes, love is a thing, there are several kinds of love bonding, and it is genetically based.

[/thread]

Sure, that's all you have to say. Solved it, Skeptic Ginger! Great!

Wait here I got it.

Love is this mystical thing that will forever be outside the realm of your precious cold, heartless science. Love can only be understood when you open your mind to the duality of the qualia of observer out beyond the event horizon of the formless of the mystical mystery of mysterical mysteriousness.

There is that better?