What is Love?

  

The general point made by Helen Fisher in her work What is Love? is that there are biological explanations for the reasons that we feel the emotion of Love. More specifically, Fisher suggests that our brains have different networks and chemicals that are released in certain sections of our brain. He writes about the science behind romantic love and stated, “Dopamine is associated with excessive energy, elation, focused attention and the motivation to win rewards—basic traits of romantic love.” (page 335) In this passage, Fisher is suggesting that romantic love is a craving just like our need for food because dopamine is also released then. In conclusion, it is Fisher’s belief that our brain and the chemicals in our body create these reactions of love. It is in our culture and how our brains are taught to react and what they have been taught to be satisfied with.

In my view, Fisher is right because the chemicals released are real. It is scientifically proven through tests of the brain. For example, they can do test on the brain to show what parts of the brain are active during certain situations. The author talks about a test where they would show those under testing a picture of their beloved and their reactions in their brain were specific to a certain part of the brain. Although Fisher might object that there are also reactions within the heart associated with love. I maintain that the heart allows us to feel the actual reaction to seeing a loved one. We do not have the nerves in our brain to actually feel love. But the heart skips beats, beats faster, aches, and all of these reactions are felt physically. Therefore, I conclude that love isn’t only connected to the brain’s reactions but also to the heart’s.