Around 2500 years ago in Ancient Greece, Empedocles contemplated the essential questions of the universe, including the role of love and strife. Empedocles is known as a pre-Socratic philosopher, although he was primarily a poet. In his surviving works, On Nature and Purifications, Empedocles posits that the cosmic powers of Love and Strife govern the four indestructible elements of the universe. Love unifies the elements with each other and draws like to like. Since then, philosophers, poets, and thinkers have contemplated what love is and how it impacts human existence and the function of the universe. From the Platonic dialogues to 20th century literature, thinkers have chronicled their thoughts on love.
So why are philosophers so concerned with love? Is love that important that it commands centuries of attention from nearly every philosophical thinker? In many ways, love is what binds us together as humans and gives motivation to our lives. Today, we will explore love and its role in human life.
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