The non-violence of love: a Hildebrand-Girard encounter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

Abstract

If love is a social as well as a personal reality, it could be fruitful to compare Von Hildebrand’s understanding of love and desire with that of cultural anthropologist René Girard. Girard depicts love and desire as a triangular process which arises from imitation, rather than the result of auto-generative affection. In this sense, Girardian theory would seem to convict Von Hildebrand of what is called the romantic lie wherein desire is thought to arise through the mutual appreciation of two subjects. However, in The Nature of Love Von Hildebrand shows his awareness of the possibility that love can be awakened by imitation. Moreover, the lack of a sufficient reason in Girardian theory for avoiding violence can be answered by turning to Von Hildebrand’s appreciation of the ontological basis for desire.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)37-45
Number of pages9
JournalQuestionaes Disputatae
Volume3
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

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