Love: a philosophical vision

More Than a Feeling

Love is perhaps the most celebrated emotion and, at the same time, the most complex and paradoxical.

We often reduce it to a mere feeling, a surge of affection or an intense attraction.

However, a deeper, more philosophical view understands it as an active engagement, a way of relating to the world and, in particular, to another person.

It is not something that simply happens to us, but something we choose and actively build over time.

Types of Love According to the Greeks

Ancient Greek philosophy, aware of the complexity of love, used different words to describe its various facets.

Eros referred to passionate, erotic love and desire.

Philia described the deep love of friendship, the affection and loyalty we feel for our friends and relatives.

Finally, Agape represented unconditional, altruistic love—a love for humanity as a whole.

This distinction helps us understand that love is not one thing, but a spectrum of experiences and commitments.

Infatuation vs. Lasting Love

Our culture often glorifies the initial phase of falling in love, with its intensity, passion, and idealization.

However, this state is, by nature, temporary.

Lasting love, the kind that survives challenges and the passage of time, is more like philia: a deep friendship based on mutual understanding, acceptance of each other's imperfections, commitment, and consistent caring.

Love isn't the happy ending, like in the movies; It is the beginning of