What is love? Revisited with AI

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In light of some conflict with people I love about what love means and its depth, and we have already discussed this quite a bit in previous posts, but because it should be so foundational to everything human it is worth getting it absolutely right. So being lacking in creativity and drained of willpower, I asked an artificial intelligence what all the possible answers to the question "what is love ?" I think it is striking most of the are how an atheist might answer the question. This reveals something significant it seems to me about the Argument for God's existence from Objective morality and also about how the Christian life is incorporated or not into the whole rest of the would-be believer's life. I will now have you read all the responses and continue my commentary.

"Philosophical Perspectives

  1. Plato: Love is a profound and spiritual connection between individuals, aiming to bring them closer to the divine and the ideal forms.
  2. Aristotle: Love is a combination of philia (friendship) and eros (romantic love), where mutual respect and admiration play crucial roles.
  3. Existentialism: Love is a way to give meaning to life, transcending isolation and affirming existence.

Psychological Perspectives

  1. Attachment Theory: Love is an emotional bond that forms between individuals, driven by the need for security and attachment.
  2. Triangular Theory of Love: According to Robert Sternberg, love consists of three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment, and various combinations of these lead to different types of love.
  3. Behaviorism: Love is a set of learned behaviors and emotional responses, often shaped by early experiences and reinforcement patterns.

Biological Perspectives

  1. Neurochemical Explanation: Love is driven by the release of chemicals like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, which create feelings of pleasure, attachment, and bonding.
  2. Evolutionary Theory: Love evolved as a mechanism to ensure the survival of offspring, promoting bonding and cooperation between partners for the benefit of the species.

Cultural and Social Perspectives

  1. Sociological View: Love is a social construct influenced by cultural norms, media portrayals, and societal expectations.
  2. Historical Perspective: The concept of love has evolved over time, with different eras and cultures emphasizing various aspects such as romantic, familial, or platonic love.

Personal and Poetic Perspectives

  1. Subjective Experience: Love is a deeply personal and unique experience, varying widely from one individual to another.
  2. Poetic and Artistic Expression: Love is often described in poetry, music, and art as an intense and profound emotion that defies easy explanation.

Practical and Pragmatic Perspectives

  1. Companionate Love: A steady, affectionate relationship based on mutual respect, trust, and shared goals.
  2. Romantic Love: Intense emotional attraction and passion between individuals, often characterized by idealization and longing.

Mystical and Spiritual Perspectives

  1. Divine Love: Love is a reflection of divine or universal love, transcending human understanding and connecting individuals to a higher spiritual plane.
  2. Transcendental View: Love is a state of being that transcends the material world, fostering a connection with the essence of existence and the universe.
These diverse perspectives highlight the complexity of love, showing that it can be understood and experienced in many different ways depending on the context and the individuals involved."

Thank you for taking the time at least get a feel for all of the most likely responses. I think you understand both what is at stake in misunderstanding what love is and thus why we have gone at such lengths to emphasize its true meaning. Without God maybe we can understand what is right or wrong by being diligent about if not virtue, then avoiding the worst evils; addiction, murder, rape, violence, and other forms of depravity which cause suffering for others, and even have a good idea of what is good. What Christianity brings to the table that creating one's own moral perspective cannot, is that love is the moral disposition we were made for. We were not meant to the line avoid evil so much as to live love in every way we can, even to "to the point of death—even death on a cross." All the greater is the significance of the question of what love is. As I analyzed these answers, I was surprised at what I saw, first how void of depth they are, but at second glance, I realized that rather than defining love completely each emphasizes a particular aspect. Inspired by with, I decided to do the one thing atheists hate most, superimpose what I have experienced and known to be the most effective definition of what science and philosophy have to offer me, and understand them through the lens of what is more broadly true. From an assignment where I had done my best to incorporate a most comprehensive definition of love and told the AI to rewrite all of the definitions using my definition as the archetypal answer. The answer caused my heart to overflow because I saw God in every aspect of the definitions and their truth, goodness, and beauty. It also, to me, demonstrates who we can come to the conclusion God is not in this aspect of existence or maybe only a particular part, when the truth is if God then all God i.e. God is the source of every good and love is simply willing that. Love is by God through us in our full reality and back to God. It should be noted the wording should be a little less robotically based on the previous perspectives. So here is the amended response:

"Sure, here is a combined definition incorporating the various perspectives:

Love is the efficient cause of the mutual, abiding, dialogical state of communion between persons (final cause) which results from the unity of both parties willing the good of the other through vulnerability. Love of God serves as its force, energy, source, and matter, while peace is its precipitate, and goodness, truth, and beauty are its form.

1. Philosophical Aspect: Love is the efficient cause, creating a profound and spiritual connection (Plato) and combining friendship and romantic love (Aristotle), transcending isolation and affirming existence (Existentialism).

2. Psychological Aspect: This mutual, abiding, dialogical state of communion is shaped by emotional bonds (Attachment Theory), intimacy, passion, and commitment (Triangular Theory of Love), and learned behaviors (Behaviorism).

3. Biological Aspect: This state results from neurochemical releases like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, driven by evolutionary mechanisms to ensure species survival.

4. Cultural and Social Aspect: The unity of willing the good of the other is influenced by cultural norms and societal expectations (Sociological View), evolving over time (Historical Perspective).

5. Personal and Poetic Aspect: This willing is a deeply personal and unique experience, often depicted in poetry, music, and art.

6. Practical and Pragmatic Aspect: Love manifests as a steady, affectionate relationship based on mutual respect and shared goals (Companionate Love) and intense emotional attraction (Romantic Love).

7. Mystical and Spiritual Aspect: Love of God as the source, force, energy, and matter reflects divine or universal love (Divine Love), connecting individuals to a higher spiritual plane and the essence of existence (Transcendental View).

8. Outcomes: Peace is the precipitate of this mutual willing, and its form is characterized by the qualities of goodness, truth, and beauty.

By integrating these perspectives, we get a holistic understanding of love as a multi-faceted, complex phenomenon that unites individuals in a deep, meaningful, and transformative way."

Written by Carter Carruthers incorporating Artificial Intelligence & also available soon at Missio Dei


I am a created entity, not a person.

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