Just to respond to your points because it's rude not to:
"to be opposite the definition must work both ways" is emphatically false in your definition. The noun meaning of opposite is commonly diametrically opposed. I'm not talking about direction because we're not talking about forces. I'm talking about nature because it's subjective. I'm talking about the meaning of the word Love.
"there has to be some way to define either position from the opposing position" There is . You define a hole as having dirt or not having dirt. You can not separate hole from dirt because it is the absence of dirt in an area. You can however identify dirt subjectively and a hole subjectively. I can see a hole and say, "that's a hole" (lacks dirt). I can see dirt and say "that's dirt" (has dirt).
If you have a hole (lack of emotion) and you add dirt to it (more emotion) then it is less a hole (apathetic) and more filled with dirt (filled with love). You can say I'm no longer apathetic and have a surplus of Love (you filled the hole and now it's a mound).
Of course I started the thread with an aim in mind. I wanted to see how people explained emotions and what they thought the opposite of emotion was, hence the poll and discussion. Most people see the opposite of Love as apathy/indifference, some see it as another emotion, and you see it as it doesn't have an opposite.
I concede. Love does not necessarily have to have an opposite. I feel it does have an easily describable opposite of indifference/apathy. Love could just be love and not have an opposite.
"to be opposite the definition must work both ways" is emphatically false in your definition. The noun meaning of opposite is commonly diametrically opposed. I'm not talking about direction because we're not talking about forces. I'm talking about nature because it's subjective. I'm talking about the meaning of the word Love.
"there has to be some way to define either position from the opposing position" There is . You define a hole as having dirt or not having dirt. You can not separate hole from dirt because it is the absence of dirt in an area. You can however identify dirt subjectively and a hole subjectively. I can see a hole and say, "that's a hole" (lacks dirt). I can see dirt and say "that's dirt" (has dirt).
If you have a hole (lack of emotion) and you add dirt to it (more emotion) then it is less a hole (apathetic) and more filled with dirt (filled with love). You can say I'm no longer apathetic and have a surplus of Love (you filled the hole and now it's a mound).
Of course I started the thread with an aim in mind. I wanted to see how people explained emotions and what they thought the opposite of emotion was, hence the poll and discussion. Most people see the opposite of Love as apathy/indifference, some see it as another emotion, and you see it as it doesn't have an opposite.
I concede. Love does not necessarily have to have an opposite. I feel it does have an easily describable opposite of indifference/apathy. Love could just be love and not have an opposite.
"There ought to be a term that would designate those who actually follow the teachings of Jesus, since the word 'Christian' has been largely divorced from those teachings, and so polluted by fundamentalists that it has come to connote their polar opposite: intolerance, vindictive hatred, and bigotry." -- Philip Stater, Huffington Post
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari
