Interesting thoughts, but I wish the arguments and examples were more varied. Much of it felt repetitive and the book could have been condensed. However, the author might be making a point with all that repetition…

1/7/23

Having completed my third read of this book, I see the value in those repetitions. To undertake the task of defining love is a heavy one, and so it requires a lot of solid points. The author returns to his points many times to ensure that the reader keeps them fresh in his mind. After reading this book, and having personal experience, I find that the best definition of love, in a word, is compelling. Love compels us to do things that we know aren't in our best interest, it compels us to take care of others, and it compels us to prioritize the object of our love. Why? Well... love. There is no reason, love is beyond reason.

There are a few quotes I want to share before expanding: "There are no necessities of logic or of rationality that dictate what we are to love," (47) "What we love is not up to us," (49), and "what we love necessarily acquires value for us because we love it" (39).

We are compelled to do things because of love. There is no reason or rationality that dictates what or why we love something. The value of the thing we love comes from this compulsion TO love the thing. Essentially, we cannot explain the rationale behind our actions that are driven by love, because the rationale is love.

This is all to say that if you are not compelled it isn't love. And so, for now, I feel that I have a strong definition of love: compelling.

I can't imagine this small book being appealing to the general public. It's academic philosophy with a bit of popular dressing. I really enjoyed it, but I had to switch on my academic reader mindset, so to speak, to get through it. I learned a lot about my own struggle for "wholeheartedness", so thank you, Dr. Frankfurt. This little book was some big therapy for me.

I really enjoyed this. Frankfurt makes sensible arguments that are very logically consistent and that have real world implications. The kind of chapbook philosophy that anyone could appreciate and benefit from, even if it only makes you think without changing your behavior.

Wenn ein Buch auch nur zum Teil in moralischen Kontemplationen verwickelt ist, fällt es mir schwer, mich dafür zu begeistern. Bestimmt wäre „Gründe der Liebe“ ein massentaugliches, philosophisches Self-Help-Werk, aber mit mehr konnte es mir nicht dienen. Leider nur 2/5✨

متن خوب و پر محتوايى كه بين ترجمه اى كه بايستى روون تر ميبود و كمتر باعث حواس پرتى ميشد گير افتاده بود .

Reading this book broke my rule of only reading women and POC authors, but it was lent by a dear friend. It was the usual, but had a few insights to make it endurable.

Spodziewałam się czegoś zupełnie innego, ale to tylko moje oczekiwania, co nie jest zbyt istotne w tej recenzji.
Pierwszy rozdział, nie przypadł mi do gustu.
Ciągle powtarzania tych samych zdań innymi słowami, ale wydaje mi się, że może to być winą polskiego tłumaczenia. Filozoficzna książka z dosyć trudnym słownictwem, na pewno nie dla każdego. Książka wydaje się napisana dosyć subiektywnie.

ترجمه داغان