The philosophy of love underscores the idea that love has a range of meanings as a result of its impreciseness. However, the view it cannot be understand is considered unsophisticated for researchers who attempt to discover the neurological processes behind it or create conceptual models for it. Philosophers also sought to understand what love is beyond the argument about whether or not it should or could be defined.
On a philosophical level, love is a combination of eros, philia and agape. These different forms manifest themselves in different areas of life and relationships. Eros (usually associated with sexual desire) refers broadly to the intense desire or yearning of one for another. Philia represents fondness of another, while Agape refers to brotherly affection (or that of God primarily).
Agape is the broadest form of love. Philia and eros represent more intimate forms that would describe friendships and the relationship between partners. The philosophy of love certainly goes into much more detail concerning its nature and purpose. However, the main idea is that it can refer to various feelings and associations that underpin our relationships.
Helen Fisher gives her tripartite view of love as being lust, romantic and long-term commitment. Fisher’s concept applies specifically to affection between partners. Lust borrows from the desire specified by eros, except that lust is specifically sexual desire. Romantic love is similar to philia; at the level of mutual liking or attraction between partners.
Long-term commitment is adapted in another conceptual model. Robert Sternberg’s “Triangular Theory of Love” provides a more comprehensive classification of it based on three concepts; passion, intimacy and commitment. The presence of or emphasis on these three elements are used to classify myriad types.
According to Sternberg’s conceptual model, the three factors assessed are not types in themselves. It is their combination that results in types of love instead.
i) Infatuation – This is not considered a type of love in a broad sense, but some people consider it to be love as a result of the “love-addicted” feeling. Infatuation involves a high degree of passion (or eros in the form of yearning) without intimacy or commitment.
ii) Blind – In a primarily sexual relationship, partners may have commitment and passion without intimacy. Acquiring mutual knowledge or deeper understanding of the other is not a priority here.
iii) Empty – This refers to arranged marriages or situations where people feel compelled to stay in a relationship for whatever reason. Empty love has strong commitment but limited intimacy or passion.
iv) Romantic – This represents the type of love commonly associated with the genesis of a relationship. Romantic love lacks commitment, but intimacy and passion are accentuated.
v) Companionate – refers to a high level of intimacy and commitment without passion
vi) True love is passion, commitment and intimacy in perfect equilibrium (or that is somewhat balanced at least).
The classifications derived from the “Triangular Theory of Love” have higher utility than Fisher’s tri-partite classification. Even though the concept was created to classify intimate relationships, it can also be used to classify friendships (especially the ones with benefits). An overview of love should entail a discussion of the types that exist both generally and between partners. Combining the philosophy of love and Sternberg’s model therefore provides an acute insight into the different classifications that exist.
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