In Defense of the No-Reasons View of Love

Abstract

Abstract Although we can try to explain why we love, we can never justify our love. Love is neither based on reasons, nor is it responsive to reasons, nor can it be assessed for normative reasons. Love can be odd, unfortunate, fortuitous, or even sadly lacking, but it can never be appropriate or inappropriate. We may have a variety of reasons to act on our love, but we cannot justify our loving feelings. Shakespeare’s Bottom was right: “Reason and love keep little company together now-a-days.” Indeed, they keep none and they never kept any: there are no justifying reasons for love.