A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Platonic Love of Nonhuman Nature and Animals




AuthorsAaltola Elisa

Publisher Philosophy Documentation Center

Publishing placeCharlottesville, Virginia

Publication year2022

JournalThe Harvard Review of Philosophy

Volume29

First page 33

Last page44

eISSN2153-9154

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5840/harvardreview20228444(external)

Web address https://www.pdcnet.org/harvardreview/content/harvardreview_2022_0029_0033_0044(external)


Abstract

Some philosophers have argued that love has moral-psychological power, as it can motivate one to appreciate the existence of others and to offer care for them. This appears evident in the context of our relations with nonhuman animals and nature: love can motivate one to think of them as morally considerable. But what is love? The paper at hand investigates one classic philosophical definition of love and applies it to our relationship with other animals and nature. This definition is the quality view of love, i.e., Platonic love, which, I argue, facilitates deeper moral concern for nonhuman animals and things.



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