meaning of love

HERE IS MY RESEARCH I HAVE TO DO FOR TOK

'What is the meaning of Love?'

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love -Wikepedia

What is Love: what forms of love are there? (narrow it down)
State my definition of love.

Say that it is hard to define the exact meaning of love:

Love is a very strong feeling of affection. Love cannot easily be described for it is a mix of emotions, people can love and be loved in different ways. Love is a different feeling for many people; different people can feel or experience love in different ways. As a result it is something that is hard to define.

There are many forms of love: self-love, divine love, love for another person (family member, friend, lover), just to name a few. In fact, love does not even have to involve people; for example, love can exist in regard to an object or idea. Psychology divides love into three basic catergories: brotherly love, romantic love, and physical love. Theoretically, having all three makes true love.

The basis for all love is respect, esteem, and admiration. Respect must be present in order for love to germinate and grow. One cannot love someone or something one disrespects, hates, or loathes.

Everyone thinks of love in many different ways. Some people believe in love at first sight, while others believe in a love that takes time to grow and become great. It has the power to drive one to greater actions, sometimes crazy actions. It is thought to be the best and highest of all emotions, possibly even the greatest purpose in life.

Many feel love is the feeling of being connected to someone, or something in the sense that you feel you couldn't live without them/it. The feeling of knowing that that certain person/thing is very important to you.

Love can be well described as chemical chaos, although romantic love is seen to fit this decription the best. Brotherly love, the love for family and people close to one is an innate feeling.

http://home.att.net/~scorh2/MeaningOfLove.html
a few 4-8 year-old kids' take on love!

http://www.akat.com/lovebook.html
If you are looking for love, would you recognize it if you found it? Can you tell the difference between love and infatuation? Between love and attraction? Between love and sexual desire? Between love and friendship? Between sex and intimacy? Between a good relationship and one that is only pleasurable?

• Emotions --how we feel about each other
• Ethics --how good or bad we are for each other
• Joys --how much we satisfy or dissatisfy each other

http://www.answers.com/topic/love
A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness.

A feeling of intense desire and attraction toward a person with whom one is disposed to make a pair; the emotion of sex and romance.

Sexual passion.
Sexual intercourse.
A love affair.

An intense emotional attachment, as for a pet or treasured object.

A person who is the object of deep or intense affection or attraction; beloved. Often used as a term of endearment.

An expression of one's affection: Send him my love.

A strong predilection or enthusiasm: a love of language.
The object of such an enthusiasm: The outdoors is her greatest love.
Love Mythology. Eros or Cupid.

SYNONYMS love, affection, devotion, fondness, infatuation. These nouns denote feelings of warm personal attachment or strong attraction to another person. Love is the most intense: marrying for love. Affection is a less ardent and more unvarying feeling of tender regard: parental affection. Devotion is earnest, affectionate dedication and implies selflessness: teachers admired for their devotion to children. Fondness is strong liking or affection: a fondness for small animals. Infatuation is foolish or extravagant attraction, often of short duration: lovers blinded to their differences by their mutual infatuation.

Devil's Dictionary

A temporary insanity curable by marriage or by removal of the patient from the influences under which he incurred the disorder. This disease, like caries and many other ailments, is prevalent only among civilized races living under artificial conditions; barbarous nations breathing pure air and eating simple food enjoy immunity from its ravages. It is sometimes fatal, but more frequently to the physician than to the patient.

life - someone or something for which you would give your life.
care - someone or something about which you care more than yourself.
friendship - favoured interpersonal associations or relationships.
union - a synergistic connection, as in the perfect union of two souls.
family - people related via common ancestry, religion, or race, etc.

Types
Courtly love – a late medieval conventionalized code prescribing certain conduct and emotions for ladies and their lovers.
Erotic love – desire characterized by a focus on sexual desires.
Familial love – affection brokered through kinship connections, intertwined with concepts of attachment and bonding.
Free love – sexual relations according to choice and unrestricted by marriage.
Platonic love – a close relationship in which sexual desire is nonexistent or has been suppressed or sublimated.
Puppy love – romantic affection felt between or as though between adolescents.
Religious love – devotion to one’s deity or theology.
Romantic love – affection characterized by a mix of emotional and sexual desire.
Unrequited love – affection and desire not reciprocated or returned.

http://www.answers.com/topic/triangular-theory-of-love

ENJOY!