vapor... fyi, i'm a mom of 7, grandma of 17 [with most of the latter being males], had 2 husbands [not at the same time!] and a variety of lovers [between/after the marriages]... was an enthusiastic and constant man-lover for some 45 years, before i gave it all up, thanks to my studies of the human race's history and current behaviors in re 'love' and sex and marriage... my conclusions are thus not based only on my own experiences [not all of which were negative], but on many decades of study and observation, as a full time, practicing philosopher and decidedly not in any way, shape, or form, as a 'man-hater'... merc... yes, of course we can 'jump-start' baby-making without the addition of sperm [and my studies of human history have indicated that some women probably could and did so, way back when], but i was really joking with that '?'-d answer, more than being serious, although it's pretty much true as we are now... hidden... i'm referring to the species in general, not just specific examples... and the love a father can have for a child is not at all the same as a mother's, since he did not carry it within his body for many months and give birth to it... while some fathers certainly love their children [mine did], it still can't equate to mother-love, without equal experience...
You say a father can't know the love a mother feels for his child simply because he's not a mother. The same can be said to you: I don't see how you can determine how a father is capable of loving his child when you have never been a father yourself. Also, might I ask you to never again use the word "some" in front of the words "fathers certainly love their children"? That makes it sound like loving fathers are in the minority, when, in my experience, they are in the majority. I really am not trying to be a *insert your favorite insult here*. That's just the way it sounds, because I'm typing this rather than saying it. Either way, I'm done dragging this out.
I went back to the original post in this thread. It asks about whether or not it is love if you see someone's faults and don't like their faults. It is not a debate on who's love is "true" or "truer" than anyone else's. There are many kinds of love, sure. Parental love, fraternal love, friend love, romantic love...who is anyone to judge what love is the best or most real? Love is what it is for whoever is feeling it.
FMK, Maia's opinion is every bit as valid as yours. I really don't know if loving fathers are a majority or not. Or loving mothers, for that matter. I know I don't have a statistically significant sampling to base my opinion on. I personally don't entirely agree with Maia's views on love, but she has every right to them. You and she need not agree, but don't tell one another what the other can and cannot say. Let's keep this discussion respectful, or it will be closed.
I don't think there is any proof for the existence of "true love." Love is different for everyone. Everyone has different values. I don't think love can or should be categorised and defined by rules or formulas. Just my opinion though, and hey, what the hell do I know... =_=
