Science of Love: The Wisdom of Well-Being

by Thomas Jay Oord

We all know the saying, "Love can change the world." When science looks at love, it considers cosmology, sociobiology, evolutionary psychology, neurology, sex and romance, and the role of emotions as each relates to love. It also explores religious, ethical, and philosophical issues, such as virtue, creation ex nihilo , progress, divine action, agape , values, religious practices, pacifism, sexuality, friendship, freedom, and marriage. All affect the ways in which people understand each other and interact with one another. In this book, Oord explores these varied dimensions of love, illuminating the love-science symbiosis for both scholars and general readers. His definition of love is "to act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote overall well-being. Love acts are influenced by previous actions and executed in the hope of attaining a high degree of good for all." He begins his study with an exploration of the role love plays in all major world Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. He explains how divine love in action can be viewed as consonant with the big bang theory and the continual creation of the universe. He looks at pacifism and concludes that nonviolence is not always the most loving thing (sometimes violence must be used to rescue victims or prevent holocausts). He explores the animal kingdom to see how creatures work together with the Creator to make the world a better place. And he analyzes the fundamentals of love, the basic characteristics of existence that must be present for love to be expressed. He concludes with the important argument that progress can best be made when religion and science work together to both understand and promote love.

Genres: Philosophy, Science

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Thomas Belihu · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Brittney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start off this review by stating that I am typically a fan of both Dr. Oord and his writing. However, I tend to view this book more as a springboard for greater works (whether by him or others). The book started off with the promising premise of love discussed within a context of the melding of religion and science. The latter chapters of the book were sufficient as said "springboard" but left the reader feeling largely unquenched.

I took issue specifically with the chapter regarding the science of sex and love. With its focus on Aristophanes (out of Plato's "Symposium"); the myth of St. Valentine; and the sexual practices of both human and primates, the patriarchal and heteronormative underpinnings of each of these theories was both sociologically incomplete and utterly disappointing.

The final chapter invites readers to ponder whether love can make progress. The answer, naturally, is a resounding "yes"! Dr. Oord offers seven possible ways to encourage the cultivation and expansion of love, one of which is to "promote the exemplars." He recommends the following: "We need not only to encourage those we know to become love examplars, but we also need to promote such lovers in the public square. What would the world be like if altruists were pasted on billboards instead of models, musicians, and athletes?"

While I do understand where Dr. Oord is going with this proposal, his suggestion seems to undermine itself by advocating for the celebrity of those who do good. I understand that he is not claiming that people should perform good deeds in order to become famous or publicly appreciated, yet it seems like an inevitable side effect that people would begin to act, after consistent reinforcement, with the reward in mind.

Ultimately, this book is a good starting point for further research on this subject, but I would not recommend it as an all-encompassing work, by any means.