love is gorgeous and great

'''Love''' is any of a number of [[emotion]]s and experiences related to a sense of strong [[affection]]<ref name="oxford">''Oxford Illustrated American Dictionary'' (1998) + ''Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary'' (2000)</ref> and [[attachment (psychology)|attachment]]. The word ''[[wikt:en:love|love]]'' can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from generic [[pleasure]] ("I loved that meal" to intense [[interpersonal attraction]] ("I love my boyfriend". This diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, even compared to other emotional states.

Love is an extremely powerful emotion; it can be irresistible and people are often bound to pursue their love interests. Love is a major theme in literature, poetry, and film.

As an abstract concept, ''love'' usually refers to a deep, [[ineffability|ineffable]] feeling of tenderly caring for another person. Even this limited conception of love, however, encompasses a wealth of different feelings, from the passionate desire and intimacy of [[romance (love)|romantic love]] to the nonsexual emotional closeness of [[familial love|familial]] and [[platonic love]]<ref name="PlatonicSchool">{{cite book |last=Kristeller |first=Paul Oskar |title=Renaissance Thought and the Arts: Collected Essays |publisher=Princeton University |year=1980 |isbn=*******2010-8}}</ref> to the profound [[Henosis|oneness]] or devotion of [[love (religious views)|religious love]].<ref name="Gita">{{cite book |last= Mascaró |first=Juan |title=The Bhagavad Gita |publisher=Penguin Classics |year=2003 |isbn=*******4918-3}} (J. Mascaró, translator)</ref> Love in its various forms acts as a major facilitator of [[interpersonal relationship]]s and, owing to its central psychological importance, is one of the most common themes in the [[creative arts]].

Although the nature or [[essence]] of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the word can be clarified by determining what ''isn't'' love. As a general expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of ''like''), love is commonly contrasted with [[hate]] (or neutral [[apathy]]); as a less sexual and more emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment, love is commonly contrasted with [[lust]]; and as an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones, love is commonly contrasted with [[friendship]], although other definitions of the word ''love'' may be applied to close friendships in certain contexts.

When discussed in the abstract, ''love'' usually refers to interpersonal love, an experience felt by a person for another person. Love often involves caring for or identifying with a person or thing, including oneself (cf. [[narcissism]]).

In addition to cross-cultural differences in understanding love, ideas about love have also changed greatly over time. Some historians date modern conceptions of romantic love to courtly Europe during or after the Middle Ages, although the prior existence of romantic attachments is attested by ancient love poetry.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.TrueOpenLove.org/reference/AncientLovePoetry.html
|title=Ancient Love Poetry}}</ref>

==Impersonal love==
A person can be said to love a country, principle, or goal if they value it greatly and are deeply committed to it. Similarly, compassionate outreach and volunteer workers' "love" of their cause may sometimes be borne not of interpersonal love, but impersonal love coupled with [[altruism]] and strong political convictions. People can also "love" material objects, animals, or activities if they invest themselves in bonding or otherwise identifying with those things. If sexual passion is also involved, this condition is called [[paraphilia]].<ref>{{Cite web | last = DiscoveryHealth | first = | title = Paraphilia | url=http://health.discovery.com/centers/sw^/sexpedia/paraphilia.html | accessdate = *******-16}}</ref>

==Interpersonal love==
Interpersonal love refers to love between human beings. It is a more potent sentiment than a simple ''liking'' for another. [[Unrequited love]] refers to those feelings of love that are not reciprocated. Interpersonal love is most closely associated with [[interpersonal relationships]]. Such love might exist between family members, friends, and couples. There are also a number of psychological disorders related to love, such as [[erotomania]].

Throughout history, [[philosophy]] and [[religion]] have done the most speculation on the phenomenon of love. In the last century, the science of [[psychology]] has written a great deal on the subject. In recent years, the sciences of [[evolutionary psychology]], [[evolutionary biology]], [[anthropology]], [[neuroscience]], and [[biology]] have added to the understanding of the nature and function of love.

Although the nature or [[essence]] of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the word can be clarified by determining what ''isn't'' love. As a general expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of ''like''), love is commonly contrasted with [[hate]] (or neutral [[apathy]]); as a less sexual and more emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment, love is commonly contrasted with [[lust]]; and as an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones, love is commonly contrasted with [[friendship]], although other definitions of the word ''love'' may be applied to close friendships in certain contexts.

When discussed in the abstract, ''love'' usually refers to interpersonal love, an experience felt by a person for another person. Love often involves caring for or identifying with a person or thing, including oneself (cf. [[narcissism]]).

In addition to cross-cultural differences in understanding love, ideas about love have also changed greatly over time. Some historians date modern conceptions of romantic love to courtly Europe during or after the Middle Ages, although the prior existence of romantic attachments is attested by ancient love poetry.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.TrueOpenLove.org/reference/AncientLovePoetry.html
|title=Ancient Love Poetry}}</ref>

==Impersonal love==
A person can be said to love a country, principle, or goal if they value it greatly and are deeply committed to it. Similarly, compassionate outreach and volunteer workers' "love" of their cause may sometimes be borne not of interpersonal love, but impersonal love coupled with [[altruism]] and strong political convictions. People can also "love" material objects, animals, or activities if they invest themselves in bonding or otherwise identifying with those things. If sexual passion is also involved, this condition is called [[paraphilia]].<ref>{{Cite web | last = DiscoveryHealth | first = | title = Paraphilia | url=http://health.discovery.com/centers/s%z/sexpedia/paraphilia.html | accessdate = *******-16}}</ref>

==Interpersonal love==
Interpersonal love refers to love between human beings. It is a more potent sentiment than a simple ''liking'' for another. [[Unrequited love]] refers to those feelings of love that are not reciprocated. Interpersonal love is most closely associated with [[interpersonal relationships]]. Such love might exist between family members, friends, and couples. There are also a number of psychological disorders related to love, such as [[erotomania]].

Throughout history, [[philosophy]] and [[religion]] have done the most speculation on the phenomenon of love. In the last century, the science of [[psychology]] has written a great deal on the subject. In recent years, the sciences of [[evolutionary psychology]], [[evolutionary biology]], [[anthropology]], [[neuroscience]], and [[biology]] have added to the understanding of the nature and function of love.

===Chemical basis===
[[File:Chemical basis of love.png|thumb|right|230px|Simplistic overview of the chemical basis of love.]]
{{main|Love (scientific views)}}

Biological models of s#@ tend to view love as a [[mammal]]ian drive, much like [[hunger]] or [[thirst]].<ref name="Lewis">{{cite book | last = Lewis | first = Thomas | coauthors = Amini, F., & Lannon, R. | title = A General Theory of Love | publisher = Random House | year = 2000 |isbn=*******0922-3}}</ref> [[Helen Fisher (anthropologist)|Helen Fisher]], a leading expert in the topic of love, divides the experience of love into three partly overlapping stages: lust, attraction, and attachment. Lust exposes people to others; romantic attraction encourages people to focus their energy on mating; and attachment involves tolerating the spouse (or indeed the child) long enough to rear a child into infancy.

[[Lust]] is the initial passionate sexual desire that promotes [[mating]], and involves the increased release of chemicals such as [[testosterone]] and [[estrogen]]. These effects rarely last more than a few weeks or months. [[Interpersonal attraction|Attraction]] is the more individualized and romantic desire for a specific candidate for mating, which develops out of lust as commitment to an individual mate forms. Recent studies in [[neuroscience]] have indicated that as people fall in love, the brain consistently releases a certain set of chemicals, including [[pheromones]], [[dopamine]], [[norepinephrine]], and [[serotonin]], which act in a manner similar to [[amphetamine]]s, stimulating the brain's [[pleasure center]] and leading to side effects such as increased [[heart rate]], loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement. Research has indicated that this stage generally lasts from one and a half to three years.<ref name="human">{{cite book

Since the lust and attraction stages are both considered temporary, a third stage is needed to account for long-term relationships. [[Attachment theory|Attachment]] is the [[human bonding|bonding]] that promotes relationships lasting for many years and even decades. Attachment is generally based on commitments such as [[marriage]] and [[children]], or on mutual friendship based on things like shared interests. It has been linked to higher levels of the chemicals [[oxytocin]] and [[vasopressin]] to a greater degree than short-term relationships have.<ref name="human"/>

The protein molecule known as the [[nerve growth factor]] (NGF) has high levels when people first fall in love, but these return to previous levels after one year. <ref>{{cite journal
|author=Emanuele, E.
|coauthor=Polliti, P.; Bianchi, M.; Minoretti, P.; Bertona, M.; & Geroldi, D
|year=2005
|title=Raised plasma nerve growth factor levels associated with early-stage romantic love
|url=http://www.biopsychiatry.com/lovengf.htm
|journal=Psychoneuroendocrinology
|volume=Sept. 05}}</ref>

===Psychological basis===
[[Imageri Lankan woman and child.jpg|Grandmother and grandchild,<br>[[Sri Lanka]].|thumb]]
{{further|[[Human bonding]]}}

Psychology depicts love as a cognitive and social phenomenon. [[Psychologist]] [[Robert Sternberg]] formulated a [[triangular theory of love]] and argued that love has three different components: intimacy, commitment, and passion. Intimacy is a form in which two people share confidences and various details of their personal lives, and is usually shown in friendships and romantic love affairs. Commitment, on the other hand, is the expectation that the relationship is permanent. The last and most common form of love is sexual attraction and passion. Passionate love is shown in infatuation as well as romantic love. All forms of love are viewed as varying combinations of these three components. American psychologist [[Zick Rubin]] seeks to define ''love'' by [[psychometrics]]. His work states that three factors constitute love: attachment, caring, and intimacy.<ref>{{cite journa

[[Image:Columpio Veracruz 059.jpg|thumb|Fraternal love (Prehispanic sculpture from 250–900 A.D., of [[Huastec]] origin). [[Museo de Antropología de Xalapa|Museum of Anthropology]] in [[Xalapa]], [[Veracruz]], [[Mexico]].]]

Following developments in electrical theories such as [[Coulomb's law]], which showed that positive and negative charges attract, analogs in human life were developed, such as "opposites attract." Over the last century, research on the nature of human mating has generally found this not to be true when it comes to character and personality—people tend to like people similar to themselves. However, in a few unusual and specific domains, such as immune systems, it seems that humans prefer others who are unlike themselves (e.g., with an orthogonal immune system), since this will lead to a baby that has the best of both worlds.<ref>{{cite book | last = Berscheid | first = Ellen | coauthors = Walster, Elaine, H.| title = Interpersonal Attraction | publisher = Addison-Wesley Publishing Co | year = 1969 | id = CCCN *******3 }}</ref> In recent years, various [[human bonding]] theories have been developed, described in terms of attachments, ties, bonds, and affinities.

Some Western authorities disaggregate into two main components, the altruistic and the narcissistic. This view is represented in the works of [[Scott Peck]], whose work in the field of applied psychology explored the definitions of love and evil. Peck maintains that love is a combination of the "concern for the spiritual growth of another," and simple narcissism.<ref name="peck">{{cite book | title=The Road Less Traveled | isbn=*******5067-1 | last=Peck | first=Scott | publisher=Simon & Schuster | year=1978 | page=169}}</ref> In combination, love is an ''activity'', not simply a feeling.

[[Image:baglione.jpg|thumb|''Sacred Love Versus Profane Love'' (1602–03) by [[Giovanni Baglione]].]]
===Comparison of scientific models===
Biological models of love tend to see it as a mammalian drive, similar to [[hunger]] or [[thirst]].<ref name="Lewis"/> Psychology sees love as more of a social and cultural phenomenon. There are probably elements of truth in both views. Certainly love is influenced by [[hormone]]s (such as [[oxytocin]]), [[neurotrophins]] (such as [[Nerve Growth Factor|NGF]]), and [[pheromone]]s, and how people think and behave in love is influenced by their conceptions of love. The conventional view in [[biology]] is that there are two major drives in love: [[sexual attraction]] and [[attachment theory|attachment]]. Attachment between adults is presumed to work on the same principles that lead an infant to become attached to its mother. The traditional psychological view sees love as being a combination of [[companionate love]] and passionate love. Passionate love is intense longing, and is often accompanied by [[physiological arousal]] (shortness of breath, rapid heart rate); [[companionate love]] is affection and a feeling of intimacy not accompanied by physiological arousal.

Studies have shown that brain scans of those infatuated by love display a resemblance to those with a mental illness. Love creates activity in the same area of the brain where hunger, thirst, and drug cravings create activity. New love, therefore, could possibly be more physical than emotional. Over time, this reaction to love mellows, and different areas of the brain are activated, primarily ones involving long-term commitments. [[Andrew Newberg|Dr. Andrew Newberg]], a neuroscientist, suggests that this reaction to love is so similar to that of drugs because without love, humanity would die out.{{Fact|date=April 2009}}<!-- I'd very much like to read more about that!