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It's the most popular search on Google – but what's the answer? Experts in fields from science to fiction share their thoughts
By Jim Al-Khalili, Philippa Perry, Julian Baggini, Jojo Moyes and Catherine Wybourne
来源:
"What is love" was the most searched phrase on Google in 2012, according to the company. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the question once and for all, the Guardian has gathered writers from the fields of science, psychotherapy, literature, religion and philosophy to give their definition of the much-pondered word.
- get to the bottom of 找出某事的起因
- psychotherapy 精神疗法
- ponder 仔细考虑
The physicist: 'Love is chemistry'
Biologically, love is a powerful neurological condition like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. We talk about love being blind or unconditional, in the sense that we have no control over it. But then, that is not so surprising since love is basically chemistry. While lust is a temporary passionate sexual desire involving the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and oestrogen, in true love, or attachment and bonding, the brain can release a whole set of chemicals: pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin and vasopressin. However, from an evolutionary perspective, love can be viewed as a survival tool – a mechanism we have evolved to promote long-term relationships, mutual defence and parental support of children and to promote feelings of safety and security.
• Jim Al-Khalili is a theoretical physicist and science writer
- neurological 神经病学的
- unconditional 无条件的
- in the sense that 从...意义上讲
- lust 强烈的性欲（欲望）
- testosterone 睾丸酮
- oestrogen 雌激素
- attachment 连在一起的状态、爱慕
- bonding 亲密关系的形成
- pheromones 信息素
- dopamine 多巴胺
- norepinephrine 去甲肾上腺素
- serotonin 血清素
- oxytocin 催产
- vasopressin 抗利尿激素
- mechanism 机制
- mutual defense 互相保卫
The psychotherapist: 'Love has many guises’
Unlike us, the ancients did not lump all the various emotions that we label "love" under the one word. They had several variations, including:
Philia which they saw as a deep but usually non-sexual intimacy between close friends and family members or as a deep bond forged by soldiers as they fought alongside each other in battle. Ludus describes a more playful affection found in fooling around or flirting. Pragma is the mature love that develops over a long period of time between long-term couples and involves actively practising goodwill, commitment, compromise and understanding. Agape is a more generalised love, it's not about exclusivity but about love for all of humanity. Philautia is self love, which isn't as selfish as it sounds. As Aristotle discovered and as any psychotherapist will tell you, in order to care for others you need to be able to care about yourself. Last, and probably least even though it causes the most trouble, eros is about sexual passion and desire. Unless it morphs into philia and/or pragma, eros will burn itself out.
Love is all of the above. But is it possibly unrealistic to expect to experience all six types with only one person. This is why family and community are important.
• Philippa Perry is a psychotherapist and author of Couch Fiction
- guise 外表、伪装
- the ancients 古代的人
- lump 把… 并在一起；块
- label 贴标签于、把… 归类；标签、称号
- forge 锻炼、建立（也有伪造的意思，比如forge someone’s signature，但在这里不是这个意思）
- affection 喜爱
- fool round 闲荡、瞎闹、玩耍（美国英语也有与某人胡搞的意思，但在这里应该不是这个意思）
- flirt 调情
- goodwill 诚意、善意；商誉
- commitment 承诺、责任感、（时间或资金的）投入
- compromise 妥协
The philosopher: 'Love is a passionate commitment'
The answer remains elusive in part because love is not one thing. Love for parents, partners, children, country, neighbour, God and so on all have different qualities. Each has its variants – blind, one-sided, tragic, steadfast, fickle, reciprocated, misguided, unconditional. At its best, however, all love is a kind a passionate commitment that we nurture and develop, even though it usually arrives in our lives unbidden. That's why it is more than just a powerful feeling. Without the commitment, it is mere infatuation. Without the passion, it is mere dedication. Without nurturing, even the best can wither and die.
• Julian Baggini is a philosopher and writer
- elusive 难以抓住的
- steadfast 坚定的、坚决的、目不转睛的
- fickle 不忠实的、易变的、变幻莫测的
- reciprocated 互给的、有回报的
- misguided 受误导的
- nurture 培养
- unbidden 未经邀请的、自发的
- mere 仅仅的
- infatuation 痴迷
- dedication 奉献精神
The romantic novelist: 'Love drives all great stories'
What love is depends on where you are in relation to it. Secure in it, it can feel as mundane and necessary as air – you exist within it, almost unnoticing. Deprived of it, it can feel like an obsession; all consuming, a physical pain. Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love, but the love of parent for child, for family, for country. It is the point before consummation of it that fascinates: what separates you from love, the obstacles that stand in its way. It is usually at those points that love is everything.
• Jojo Moyes is a two-time winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year award
- secure in something 知道或拥有某事而感到踏实
- mundane 平凡的、乏味的、世俗的
- unnoticing =not noticing、没有注意到
- deprive 剥夺
- obsession 让人着迷的对象
- all consuming 强烈的、剧烈的（本意是耗尽一切）
- driver 驱动因素；驾驶员
- consummation 圆房、完婚；也有成交的意思
- obstacles 障碍
The nun: 'Love is free yet binds us’
Love is more easily experienced than defined. As a theological virtue, by which we love God above all things and our neighbours as ourselves for his sake, it seems remote until we encounter it enfleshed, so to say, in the life of another – in acts of kindness, generosity and self-sacrifice. Love's the one thing that can never hurt anyone, although it may cost dearly. The paradox of love is that it is supremely free yet attaches us with bonds stronger than death. It cannot be bought or sold; there is nothing it cannot face; love is life's greatest blessing.
• Catherine Wybourne is a Benedictine nun
- theological 神学的
- remote 遥远的、偏远的
- enfleshed =give bodily form to; make real or concrete
- supremely 极度的
- blessing 福气、幸事
- Benedictine nun 本笃会修女
重点词汇
- ponder 仔细考虑
- unconditional 无条件的
- lust 强烈的性欲（欲望）
- testosterone 睾丸酮
- attachment 连在一起的状态、爱慕
- bonding 亲密关系的形成
- mechanism 机制
- mutual defence 互相保卫
- the ancients 古代的人
- lump 把… 并在一起；块
- label 贴标签于、把… 归类；标签、称号
- forge 锻炼、建立（也有伪造的意思，比如forge someone’s signature，但在这里不是这个意思）
- affection 喜爱
- fool around 闲荡、瞎闹、玩耍（美国英语也有与某人胡搞的意思，但在这里应该不是这个意思）
- flirt 调情
- goodwill 诚意、善意；商誉
- commitment 承诺、责任感、（时间或资金的）投入
- compromise 妥协
- elusive 难以抓住的
- steadfast 坚定的、坚决的、目不转睛的
- fickle 不忠实的、易变的、变幻莫测的
- reciprocated 互给的、有回报的
- misguided 受误导的
- nurture 培养
- unbidden 未经邀请的、自发的
- mere 仅仅的
- infatuation 痴迷
- dedication 奉献精神
- mundane 平凡的、乏味的、世俗的
- unnoticing =not noticing、没有注意到
- deprive 剥夺
- obsession 让人着迷的对象
- all consuming 强烈的、剧烈的（本意是耗尽一切）
- driver 驱动因素；驾驶员
- obstacles 障碍
- remote 遥远的、偏远的
- supremely 极度的
- blessing 福气、幸事
重点表达法
- get to the bottom of 找出某事的起因
- in the sense that 从...意义上讲
- secure in something 知道或拥有某事而感到踏实
与文章相关的词汇
- psychotherapy 精神疗法
- neurological 神经病学的
- oestrogen 雌激素
- attachment 连在一起的状态、爱慕
- norepinephrine 去甲肾上腺素
- pheromones 信息素
- dopamine 多巴胺
- serotonin 血清素
- oxytocin 催产
- vasopressin 抗利尿激素
- consummation 圆房、完婚；也有成交的意思
- theological 神学的
- enfleshed =give bodily form to; make real or concrete
- Benedictine nun 本笃会修女
句子
However, from an evolutionary perspective, love can be viewed as a survival tool – a mechanism we have evolved to promote long-term relationships, mutual defence and parental support of children and to promote feelings of safety and security.
- From a(n)… perspective, …can be viewed as…
As Aristotle discovered and as any psychotherapist will tell you, in order to care for others you need to be able to care about yourself.
- In order to… you need to…
Without the commitment, it is mere infatuation. Without the passion, it is mere dedication. Without nurturing, even the best can wither and die.
- Without…, …
Love drives all great stories.
- …drives all great…
Love is more easily experienced than defined.
- …is more easily… than…
As a theological virtue, [by which we love God above all things and our neighbours as ourselves for his sake], it seems remote until we encounter it enfleshed, [so to say,] in the life of another [– in acts of kindness, generosity and self-sacrifice].
来源:
"What is love" was the most searched phrase on Google in 2012, according to the company. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the question once and for all, the Guardian has gathered writers from the fields of science, psychotherapy, literature, religion and philosophy to give their definition of the much-pondered word.
The physicist: 'Love is chemistry'
Biologically, love is a powerful neurological condition like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. We talk about love being blind or unconditional, in the sense that we have no control over it. But then, that is not so surprising since love is basically chemistry. While lust is a temporary passionate sexual desire involving the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and oestrogen, in true love, or attachment and bonding, the brain can release a whole set of chemicals: pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin and vasopressin. However, from an evolutionary perspective, love can be viewed as a survival tool – a mechanism we have evolved to promote long-term relationships, mutual defence and parental support of children and to promote feelings of safety and security.
• Jim Al-Khalili is a theoretical physicist and science writer
The psychotherapist: 'Love has many guises'
Unlike us, the ancients did not lump all the various emotions that we label "love" under the one word. They had several variations, including:
Philia which they saw as a deep but usually non-sexual intimacy between close friends and family members or as a deep bond forged by soldiers as they fought alongside each other in battle. Ludus describes a more playful affection found in fooling around or flirting. Pragma is the mature love that develops over a long period of time between long-term couples and involves actively practising goodwill, commitment, compromise and understanding. Agape is a more generalised love, it's not about exclusivity but about love for all of humanity. Philautia is self love, which isn't as selfish as it sounds. As Aristotle discovered and as any psychotherapist will tell you, in order to care for others you need to be able to care about yourself. Last, and probably least even though it causes the most trouble, eros is about sexual passion and desire. Unless it morphs into philia and/or pragma, eros will burn itself out.
Love is all of the above. But is it possibly unrealistic to expect to experience all six types with only one person. This is why family and community are important.
• Philippa Perry is a psychotherapist and author of Couch Fiction
The philosopher: 'Love is a passionate commitment'
The answer remains elusive in part because love is not one thing. Love for parents, partners, children, country, neighbour, God and so on all have different qualities. Each has its variants – blind, one-sided, tragic, steadfast, fickle, reciprocated, misguided, unconditional. At its best, however, all love is a kind a passionate commitment that we nurture and develop, even though it usually arrives in our lives unbidden. That's why it is more than just a powerful feeling. Without the commitment, it is mere infatuation. Without the passion, it is mere dedication. Without nurturing, even the best can wither and die.
• Julian Baggini is a philosopher and writer
The romantic novelist: 'Love drives all great stories'
What love is depends on where you are in relation to it. Secure in it, it can feel as mundane and necessary as air – you exist within it, almost unnoticing. Deprived of it, it can feel like an obsession; all consuming, a physical pain. Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love, but the love of parent for child, for family, for country. It is the point before consummation of it that fascinates: what separates you from love, the obstacles that stand in its way. It is usually at those points that love is everything.
• Jojo Moyes is a two-time winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year award
The nun: 'Love is free yet binds us'
Love is more easily experienced than defined. As a theological virtue, by which we love God above all things and our neighbours as ourselves for his sake, it seems remote until we encounter it enfleshed, so to say, in the life of another – in acts of kindness, generosity and self-sacrifice. Love's the one thing that can never hurt anyone, although it may cost dearly. The paradox of love is that it is supremely free yet attaches us with bonds stronger than death. It cannot be bought or sold; there is nothing it cannot face; love is life's greatest blessing.
• Catherine Wybourne is a Benedictine nun