The Rationality of Love

Love has been a subject of much fascination and debate, with the question of whether it belongs to the realm of reason. Hichem Naar provides a sustained defense of the rationality of love, arguing that there are normative reasons to love others based on the unique value of each individual. He draws on various domains of philosophical inquiry to assess the various positions in the debate and develops his own answer to the normative question about love.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 01 November 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Love has captivated the human imagination for centuries, remaining a mysterious and elusive concept that eludes us in numerous ways. The enduring debate over love's nature is not surprising, given its complex and multifaceted nature. In this context, a fragmented approach to love is necessary. Instead of seeking a definitive answer to the question of what love is, we should explore its various aspects and its relationship with other phenomena.

The Rationality of Love delves into the paradoxical question of whether love belongs to the realm of reason. It examines whether love can be justified and rationalized, similar to beliefs and actions that adhere to norms of justification. Are there normative reasons to love someone? Can love be an appropriate or fitting response to an individual? Can it be deemed rational? Or is love, like perceptual experiences, sensations, and urges, a subjective and non-rational phenomenon that we simply possess and cannot be objectively criticized?

Hichem Naar offers a compelling defense of the rationality of love. He argues that there are reasons to love others, stemming from the unique value and worth of each individual. This perspective challenges popular accounts of love that deny its rationality and supports those that accommodate its rationality. Naar draws upon various branches of philosophical inquiry, including the philosophy of mind, normativity, and epistemology, to carefully assess the various positions in the debate over reasons for love and develop his own answer to the normative question about love.

In conclusion, love has been the subject of much fascination and debate. While its nature remains complex and elusive, a fragmented approach to love is necessary. The Rationality of Love provides a thoughtful exploration of whether love belongs to the realm of reason and offers a compelling defense of its rationality. By examining the various aspects of love and its relationship with other phenomena, we can gain a deeper understanding of this profound emotion and its role in human life.

Weight: 364g
Dimension: 145 x 224 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198862642