Clarification of the Phenomenon of Love at the Vital Level of Reality

Abstract

The direction and level of Scheler’s analysis in Wesen und Formen der Sympathie are indicated at the beginning of his book. In the introductory paragraph to the first part which is on sympathy, Scheler points out that he will begin his analysis with an investigation of sympathetic modes of orientation, rather than with an investigation of love and hate. He justifies beginning his analysis in this way not only because the sympathetic modes of orientation, for example, the sharing of one’s joy or sorrow by another, have been considered as original (ursprünglich) as love and hate, but also because love has been taken to be a form or a result of sympathy. To begin his book in this way leads one to suppose that the sympathy phenomenon is not as fundamental as the love phenomenon for Scheler, and that sympathy in fact is subordinate to love, which is also dealt with in the book. It is true that an investigation of sympathetic modes of orientation, whose result would clearly distinguish the sympathy phenomenon from the love phenomenon would be a positive result in an analysis of sympathy. But Scheler’s movement in Wesen und Formen der Sympathie is towards love. This movement is borne out by the overall structure of the book, as well as by the constant references to love in the part of the book on sympathy, and finally the insight which guides Scheler’s deepest thought.