Knox Daniel - The Four Loves

  Much of our class discussion throughout the semester, particularly the first half, was rooted in classics. I studied Greek for a short period of time in middle school and took Latin all four years of high school, so it was rewarding to continue my education in these from a different standpoint. One of my main takeaways from this study concerns C.S. Lewis’s The Four Loves; while I was aware of them, I had never thought about the distinction between them. I had considered, though, that in English, we use the same word to express different kinds of loves. The phrase, “I love him,” could be used to express a deep passion for a romantic partner, or a lighthearted affection for a friend or celebrity. I found the Greeks’ distinction between storge, philia, eros, and agape to be quite useful. Also, the Greeks’ appreciation of for philia and the loss of modern-day friendship was eye-opening, especially since loneliness and mental health issues are a huge issue in today’s society; perhaps a return to the Greek adulation of philia would be beneficial for us.

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