PHIL 2170 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Tainted Love, Courtly Love, Centrality
Document Summary
The target: ethical theories that are universalistic and dispassionate. Current and traditional views of love are highly ambivalent. They tend to venerate agape, to the point where it"s an attitude only possible to god and denigrate eros. Solomon is trying to say some of the virtue of agape is present in eros. Desire for another person to be with you. Reduction to sexuality and identification of sex with recreation and procreation, which have no inherent ethical value. Love is an emotion and emotions are thought to be irrational. Eros is selfish and is often harmful to others. Because we love, we do things that harm other people. Traditional conception of moral philosophy and what"s left out. Morality is objective, rational, based on principles and avoids personal/subjective perspectives. Leaves out emotions, which is weird as these appear to be an important part of our moral lives. Evaluation of character has to do with feelings.
