New here, wondering if I could get a review?

[RS4orce]

Hello everyone my name is Jason, and I am taking a Philosophy course for the first time. We had to write a dialogue between 2 persons, and I was wondering if I could get a critique? As this is one of my first papers, Im a little nervous and I’d like to see what the pros say. Please let me know what you think and if I should change anything! Well, here it is…

Question posed: In what does true love consist?

The dialogue which takes place is between Albert Einstein (AE) and William Shakespeare (WS). The setting is at a small, smoke filled café in Paris, France about 2 to 3 blocks east of the Eifel Tower. Two great thinkers engage in conversation about life, and an ever pressing topic arises…

AE: Although life is filled with so many natural beauties, the feeling humans say is “true love” must be accredited to neurological impulses and the chemistry of the human brain. There is no way to prove otherwise.

WS: My dear Albert, have you ever felt the touch of a woman; a touch which sunk its’ fingers deep into your skin and impressing its warmth deep onto your heart? Have you ever been filled with such sweet joy which made you feel as if you are one with her body, mind and soul?

AE: William, I’m quite sure I follow what you are saying, however I can accredit these feelings to chemical responses which occur in the brain and trigger different hormones which make one feel this way. Tell me William, can you prove me otherwise?

WS: Well Albert, let me ask you this, is it not true that all human beings are comprised of the same cells and tissue?

AE: Yes, that is correct. We are all created equally in the womb.
WS: So, can it be said that human beings can become spiritually and physically attracted to one another?

AE: We can attribute this feeling to chemicals and sensors in the brain. It could also be said that physical attraction could impose on the brain a feeling of spiritual attraction; therefore what we feel is infatuation.
WS: Because we are all comprised of the same cells, this reaction would be open to all humans, regardless of age, sex, color or creed. So, because of the atomized makeup of our bodies we would not be able to discriminate from one person to another. If your theory is correct, then in order to have what a human being feels is a “spiritual connection” with another human, it must command a physical relationship. In other words, both people must have constant interaction between one another to build that bond, then the brain interprets this as “true love” because a chemical reaction has taken place.

AE: That is correct, there must be constant physical presence. Also please note that the 2 persons involved must have a physical attraction.

WS: For how long do these two need to be present?

AE: This can not be calculated with mere numbers, it would depend on the subjects involved.

WS: So what you are saying is that in order for two people to have “true love” there must be a presence and physical attraction. This presence must be frequent although there is no formula for the amount of time spent together?

AE: Ah Ha! You have it my boy!

WS: Yes, it appears I do. However, please do me the courtesy of answering my next question (AE nods). Do you believe in fate, or even an event which could be considered serendipitous?

AE: Of course not, there isn’t anything that occurs in nature without a scientific explanation.

WS: There are many tales of star crossed lovers, both old and young alike. There are many stories which make us believe in a force in which we have no control. When both people are ready to give themselves to one another, there is no mathematical calculation for that. No sexual relations, no lustful eyes; merely a kiss would speak volumes. You know, I have written many plays which depict the love of which I speak.

AE: I understand what you are saying, but in no way can you prove a feeling. Also, yes I am very aware of your works; I just got season 1 of “The Globe” on DVD.

WS: That’s great, however let us examine this further. We have established that in order for our brain to trigger the chemical response in which we call “true love”, the couple must have a constant physical presence with one another. Furthermore, this chemical reaction is based purely on what is pleasing to the eye. After this reaction has taken place, the two begin to experience what is known as “true love”. Is this correct, Albert?

AE: That is precisely what I’m saying. However, let me ask you, William, why do you believe this reaction takes place?

WS: Albert what I believe is that in this world we have “soul mates”.
Meaning, there is someone in the universe which is our spiritual equal. In other words, Albert, this is something in which we have no control. Our physical bodies are merely a shell which enables us to move from place to place; like a crab. The only difference is that a crab’s shell does not grow with the creature, however it must find a new one on occasion. In this beloved person we find truth about ourselves, and most notably a key piece to “the good life”. Tell me Albert, can you use a mathematical calculation to determine on what level you love your mother, or father; sister, or brother?

AE: No, it would be impossible. However, my dear boy, our bodies are not capable of this kind of love with someone whom does not share the same blood

WS: Alright, so there is 1 common factor between yourself and all of your family members.

AE: That is correct, our blood connects us.

WS: When 2 people fall in love, it is not because of their bloodline connection, but rather their spiritual connection. This is a connection which allows them to feel a love which is greater than any feeling they have felt before. True love exists between 2 people and cannot be measured by science. The man will love and take care of the woman, and the woman will do the same for the man. True love exists in the hearts of these 2 people, so to define this would be impossible by words because it is specific to the relationship; meaning no 2 people are alike therefore no 2 loves are alike. If this was the case, we would all want to marry YOUR wife! So you see, true love is something which we cannot gauge, it is something known.

AE: Although you pose a great argument, I am still skeptical. I have many more tests to examine but I today, I leave here a changed man. Thank you, William.

WS: It is my pleasure, please go fourth and carry this good news in your heart.

[shinton]

Jason,

I think for your purposes, this dialogue will do quite nicely.

As far as it’s implications and suggestions, well, I’m not quite sold on it.

Shakespeare in your dialogue would appear to have somewhat of a dilemma between “love needing to have presence about” and the concept of “soulmates”. A “soulmate” would seem to imply someone who is specifically made to love another person which could also imply that love unrealized in this context still has existence. In other words, if you are “made” to love someone else and you don’t “find” that person, does that mean your “love” for this hypothetical person doesn’t exist? It’s touchy.

Secondly, I’m not sure what “spiritual” means quite honestly. I think Einstein could retort that “spirituality” isn’t something that one can prove is not simply another chemical and neither is the feeling of “something greater than one’s self”. It may be a UNIQUE chemical reaction, but it does not in its uniqueness therefore mean it is something entirely different and therefore spiritual.

I gotta be frank with you on one thing though. I absolutely hate the ending. Einstein “gives up” way to easily, and his epiphany is trite to me. “I leave here a changed man?” That’s Hallmark sounding to me. It’d be better if Einstein at least said “I’ll ruminate on this” or something.

Good luck with the ensuing grade.

[omar]

First of all welcome to the forums.
AE: “Although life is filled with so many natural beauties, the feeling humans say is “true love” must be accredited to neurological impulses and the chemistry of the human brain. There is no way to prove otherwise.”
O- The accreditation of our human feelings to physical causes does not deny the private experience of “true love”. You can change it and talk of “pain” and adjust what “pain” is, other than what I feel it to be, but in the end, a careful knowledge of the neurological paths active in our appreciation of “pain” do not enable the scientists to know himself what that is like privately.

AE: William, I’m quite sure I follow what you are saying, however I can accredit these feelings to chemical responses which occur in the brain and trigger different hormones which make one feel this way. Tell me William, can you prove me otherwise?
O- William did not question the origin of these feelings. He is not talking science. He asked if he has ever felt. So the challenge to prove him otherwise seems to me as out of place.

WS: Well Albert, let me ask you this, is it not true that all human beings are comprised of the same cells and tissue?
O- Now we enter a conversation that seems to me stressed out and not following the norm of a conversation. This is high metaphysics and I am not sure that WS knew well this stuff or if AE, as a scientists, would have agreed.

AE: Yes, that is correct. We are all created equally in the womb.
O- Some are born with defects and other incidents in nature so that, while it makes for great rethoric, it does not serve science.

WS: So, can it be said that human beings can become spiritually and physically attracted to one another?
O- This can be said without depending on the similarity or equality among those who feel, “true love”. I believe that our feeling of “true love” depends on many other things including the biography of the person doing the evaluation of the feelings they feel.
Though, I am beginning to see that your point is to compare the belief in true love against the perspective that says that love is just an odd sensation, perhaps like many others not related to love so that love, from this neurological stance, is seen as a myth in light of the cold reality. If this is the case, I still think that the subject could have been visited in a better way.

AE: This can not be calculated with mere (try “in mere numbers”) numbers, it would depend on the subjects involved.

WS: That’s great, however let us examine this further. We have established that in order for our brain to trigger the chemical response in which we call “true love”, the couple must have a constant physical presence with one another. Furthermore, this chemical reaction is based purely on what is pleasing to the eye. (Where was this established?)