Respect or Love: Which Matters More in Relationships?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the relative importance of respect and love in various types of relationships, including romantic, friendships, and professional interactions. Participants examine the interplay between these two concepts and how they manifest in human connections.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that love and respect are interdependent, suggesting that one leads to the other.
  • Others challenge this view, claiming that the relationship between love and respect is non-commutative, with examples illustrating that one can love someone without respecting them.
  • Concerns are raised about the superficial nature of respect, noting that one can be respected by those they do not know.
  • Participants discuss the variability of personal beliefs and how they can affect feelings of respect, with references to historical figures and their contributions to science.
  • There are assertions that abstract qualities like love and respect cannot be strictly defined or measured scientifically, leading to further debate about their nature.
  • Some participants suggest that definitions of love and respect need to be clarified to understand differing perspectives in the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with no clear consensus on the relationship between love and respect. Disagreements persist regarding the definitions and implications of both concepts.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the abstract nature of love and respect, noting that these qualities can vary greatly depending on personal experiences and definitions. There are references to exceptions and counterexamples that challenge broad statements made during the discussion.

FallenApple
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If you had to choose between one, which one would you choose and why?

Also, this question is not necessarily for romantic relationships, but also regarding friends and colleagues etc. So for example, being well liked vs being well respected.
 
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Love makes us respect and respect, love. It's like if A=B then B=A.
The truth of one is the necessary and sufficient condition. :smile:
 
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e-pie said:
Love makes us respect and respect, love. It's like if A=B then B=A.
The truth of one is the necessary and sufficient condition. :smile:

I disagree this is definitely a non-commutative relationship.
 
Why not? :oldlove:

If you love your friend/colleague you would repect his/her decisions and the converse is also true.
 
Respect can be very superficial - you may be respected by people who you don't even know.
 
e-pie said:
Why not? :oldlove:

If you love your friend/colleague you would repect his/her decisions and the converse is also true.
Horse manure. I love all of my relatives but I have no respect at all for many of their personal beliefs.
 
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phinds said:
personal beliefs

Personal belief is "personal". It varies from person to person.

Chemistry teaches us that there can be exceptions to a law. So why not for my statement.
 
e-pie said:
Personal belief is "personal". It varies from person to person.

Chemistry teaches us that there can be exceptions to a law. So why not for my statement.
You made a categorical statement and I proved it to be not true. You didn't say "usually" or any other qualifying adjective. If you are going to make bald statements of "fact" here on PF you need to be prepared to defend them or abandon them. I suggest you abandon this one.
 
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Why are you arguing with simplest things?
I am not saying that you shouldn't defend yourself but it is only a light hearted discussion.

I made clear my point with this.

e-pie said:
Chemistry teaches us that there can be exceptions to a law. So why not for my statement.
How can this topic be a fact? Human attributes are abstract, varying according to taste/situations.
 
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  • #10
phinds said:
fact

He asked for opinions.
 
  • #11
e-pie said:
Why not? :oldlove:

If you love your friend/colleague you would repect his/her decisions and the converse is also true.

I think we have to get definitions agreed, when we start doing that we will realize that we all mean different things when we talk about love like & respect

Love is a biological thing, out of ones hands sometimes you wish it was someone else you had feelings for because this person is not very nice.
They act in a way that does not earn any sort of respect from you.
As has been mentioned you respect what a person does rather than who they are.
I respect Paul Dirac, I have never met nor will ever meet him.
I am pretty sure Paul Dirac would have made me feel insecure, embarrassed and probably pretty stupid as a student.
I respect his contribution to science.
Isaac Newton? Steven Hawking described him as “not a nice man” He never met him either but has read enough to come to the conclusion that genius aside, he was rather unpleasant.
So it possible to love someone without even liking them let alone respecting them and greatly admire dead people who were probably outwardly obnoxious.
 
  • #12
pinball1970 said:
So it possible to love someone without even liking them let alone respecting them and greatly admire dead people who were probably outwardly obnoxious.

:dademyday:
 
  • #13
e-pie said:
Love makes us respect and respect, love.

e-pie said:
Chemistry teaches us that there can be exceptions to a law. So why not for my statement.
Because, as @phinds noted, you made your statement without noting any possible exceptions. This is a scientific forum. If you say something like "All X are Y" and someone shows you an X that isn't Y, then that counterexample has disproved your broad statement.
 
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  • #14
Can you not respect someone you love? Maybe a parent with an evil child?
 
  • #15
How can abstract qualities like love or respect be scientific? Science deals with facts proved either by experiment/observation or by mathematical laws. Love is due to human emotions which are beyond the scope of Science.

I used an analogy only to explain my point.

Furthermore, I kind of amended my statement with this

e-pie said:
Chemistry teaches us that there can be exceptions to a law. So why not for my statement

If this pleases you let me make further corrections

I believe that...
e-pie said:
Love makes us respect and respect, love. It's like if A=B then B=A.
The truth of one is the necessary and sufficient condition. :smile:
 
  • #16
e-pie said:
Love makes us respect and respect, love. It's like if A=B then B=A.
The truth of one is the necessary and sufficient condition.
AGAIN, horse manure. How does this not get contradicted by my original statement?
I love all of my relatives but I have no respect at all for many of their personal beliefs.
You really need to stop making categorical statements of "fact" that are not facts at all. You don't seem to even understand the difference.
 
  • #17
I added "I believe..." that means it is according to me.

I am expressing my own beliefs on the topic.
 
  • #18
e-pie said:
I added "I belive..." that means it is according to me.

I am expressing my own beliefs on the topic.
My bad. I missed that because I so vehemently disagree w/ what you believe and I have already shown by counter example that it is not true regardless of what you believe.
 
  • #19
Finally, we agree to something.

Thanks.:smile: :bow:
 
  • #20
Greg Bernhardt said:
Can you not respect someone you love?
How about being in love with a hooker?
 
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  • #21
Demystifier said:
How about being in love with a hooker?
Maybe, or I just thought of a parent with a son that is a terrible person.
 
  • #22
Greg Bernhardt said:
Maybe, or I just thought of a parent with a son that is a terrible person.
A different example, perhaps more in the spirit of what OP head in mind. An entertaining person may be loved by many, but not so much respected.
 
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  • #23
Demystifier said:
A different example, perhaps more in the spirit of what OP head in mind. An entertaining person may be loved by many, but not so much respected.
In that sense, I would rather be respected than loved.
 
  • #24
To me love implies a desire to associate with or be associated with. Respect implies a deference to or appreciation of personal qualities or traits.
 

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