[02] || [What is Love?] || [Video/Text]

[littlelifeforms]

Greetings.

[ As is usual for Data, his message is simultaneously sent in both video and text formats. ]

There has been a weeding recently and in one week is an event known as "Saint Valentine's Day", a holiday associated with romantic love. It is an occasion in which lovers express their love for each other in a special manner, most often depending on their culture and past.

But what is love? How would you define that feeling? I have been told about love before, but it is a most... complicated emotion and no explanation I have heard truly conveyed an understanding of the feeling.

Comments

[pinnaculum]

[Hm, this is a difficult question. Sephiroth doesn't think he has experienced love.]

Love is a mechanism used to prolong human attachment after mating and ensure effective parental care of resultant offspring.

Certain chemicals in the brain are also involved. Different chemicals produce different reactions. There are books on the subject in the library.

[littlelifeforms]

I am aware of the chemical aspect, however I find it most intriguing you mentioned the reproductive aspect.

So you believe love is simply a mean to ensure children will have parents? Would this imply people unable to reproduce cannot feel love?

[pinnaculum]

The mechanism evolved to help ensure human survival, but it does not mean that humans must reproduce in order to feel it. They have inherited it from those who did reproduce.

[In short: he doesn't really get romance either.]

[littlelifeforms]

So love would be inherited through genetic legacy. As love is a byproduct of reproduction, even if they cannot reproduce, the new being may be able to feel love through this legacy.

I believe I understand your reasoning.

[pinnaculum]

Yes, that is my hypothesis.

[He feels pleased to make this statement. He can be like one of the researchers, or even Professor Gast.]

I cannot test it.

[Sadly.]

But emotions are not my area of study.

[littlelifeforms]

May I ask what your area of study is?

[pinnaculum]

Biology, biochemistry, and bioengineering.

[That was what the researchers in the lab had studied. What better way for him to find out about himself than to study those subjects? So he's been studying them here.]

[littlelifeforms]

I see. As emotions are the result of chemical reaction, I understand better the nature of your answers.

[pinnaculum]

Yes, that is my understanding of the subject.

I hope your research is successful. Are you also a scientist?

[He is just going to call himself a scientist, because why not? And he would like to meet another scientist. Well, a good one.]