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Is It Possible to Maintain Your Individuality If You Are in Love? What Does "Individuality" Mean Here, and How Might the Concept of "Romantic Love" Relate to That Meaning? (Discuss with Reference to Nozick and Solomon.)

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By trink
Words 1181
Pages 5
Philosophers have argued the ability of a person to fully sustain their uniqueness and independence in their full extent whilst being in love. By entering into a relationship, both parties will do so for personal gain and pleasure, but simultaneously the union of two people results. Romantic love causes the limitation of one’s individuality in important decisions that pertain to both of them, yet, regular decisions that don’t affect them simultaneously can still able to be made individually. While choices throughout life are constantly influenced by a person’s surroundings, the person with whom you are in love will ultimately be the one who has the greatest impact on your autonomy.
The Greek terminologies to describe love between people include ‘eros’ translated as sexual, passionate or romantic love and ‘philia’ translated as the love within friendship between others (Halwani, 2010). Since romantic love is an emotion, it is difficult to define as the reason for love because it constantly changes; both circumstances as well as reasons for attractions differ (Halwani, 2010). W. Newton-Smith, therefore explains that a sexual dimension is a generally necessary feature of romantic love, as this appears to be constant. In addition, a necessary feature of romantic love, as well as any love, is the concern over the contentment and welfare of the beloved. Other features Halwani includes are love between two people that is reciprocated, strong emotions and desires between lovers, resulting in marriage and procreation and the cause of social and moral expectations (Halwani, 2010). W. Newton-Smith comparatively includes voluntariness, exclusivity, intensity and dependence, marriage, social expectations, union and jealousy (Halwani, 2010).
Individuality can be explained as the characteristic of one particular person, as each human being begins in begins in infancy to

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