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Max Scheler - Critique of the Notion of Love

Publication |
2021

Abstract

Scheler argues in his work Wesen und Formen der Sympathie, that based on a specific manifestation of the phenomenon of love it is not possible to classify love as a feeling, that emerge as a reaction to some external stimulus. Love is not one of the feelings, of which the main reason is to motivate man to react adequately to the presence of some beneficial or harming object, and so to help organism to survive.

Love is on the contrary independent and spontaneous act of spiritual part of man - Person. In my article I'm trying to analyse his most important arguments and to show, that in spite of his observances, it is not possible to completely refuse the view, that love is a feeling.

Insufficiency of his arguments does not lie in false observations, but rather in improper separation of abilities, faculties and values from Person.