AI Says...
Love has been a central theme in philosophy throughout the ages, and few thinkers have explored it with as much depth as Baruch Spinoza. In the philosophical tradition, love has often been defined and redefined, shifting from the Platonic ideal of seeking the other to fill a void, to the more disinterested and joyful approach proposed by Spinoza. This conception of love, which is distinctly different from that of Plato, offers a unique perspective on what it truly means to love, bringing love closer to friendship and distancing it from the pitfalls of egoism.
Loving According to Spinoza: A Joy Accompanied by the Idea of an External Cause Aristotle said: "To love is to rejoice," and this idea finds particular resonance in Spinoza. For the latter, love is defined as "a joy accompanied by the idea of an external cause." In other words, to love is to rejoice in the existence of the other. This definition places love within a framework of altruism where the beloved object is a source of joy simply because it exists, regardless of any expectation or demand. When someone declares, "I am happy that you exist," they express a Spinozistic love, a love that asks for nothing in return. This form of love is rare and precious because it is purely selfless. Unlike Platonic love, which, according to André Comte-Sponville, can be interpreted as a demand ("I miss you, I want you"), Spinozistic love is content with the simple existence of the other to be fully satisfied.
Love and Friendship: A Foundation for True Love This conception of love finds an echo in friendship, which is often considered one of the purest forms of love. Friendship, like Spinozistic love, asks for nothing more than the happiness of the friend. It rejoices in the presence of the other, without demand, without need for possession. In this sense, friendship can be seen as the foundation of true love, a love that transcends selfish desires and needs for validation. Where the love of the ego, as conceived by Plato, can become possessive and demanding, friendship remains a relationship of mutual goodwill, a relationship where the existence of the other is enough to bring joy and contentment. Spinoza thus invites us to rethink love not as a quest for completeness, but as a celebration of the existence of the other, a simple and sincere joy that demands nothing in return.
Spinozistic Love: A Liberation from the Ego Ultimately, love according to Spinoza offers us a liberating perspective. It frees us from the need to fill a void within ourselves, to possess the other to feel complete. It teaches us to love the other for what they are, simply, joyfully, without expecting anything. This love, founded on friendship and respect for the individuality of the other, is perhaps the highest form of love, because it is both generous and free. By cultivating a Spinozistic love, we learn to love without excessive attachment, without selfishness, and to find in the simple existence of the other an infinite source of joy. Friendship, when imbued with this philosophy, becomes the foundation upon which authentic, lasting, and deeply human love can be built.
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