Here's another question

[cosmolinguist]

Is the difference between platonic love and romantic love a matter of kind or just of degree?

Comments

[gentleman-lech.livejournal.com]

I think it's just a matter of degree. The only difference between a platonic lover and a romantic lover is that you wouldn't marry the platonic one "for love."

[kalieris.livejournal.com]

There definitely is such a thing as "platonic sex." Hence the term "fuck buddy."

H

[gentleman-lech.livejournal.com]

I agree. Which is why I phrased it the way I did.

Love and sex are two independent things. You don't have to love someone to have sex, and love without sex isn't incomplete.

I hate getting referential, but sometimes you have to.

[angel-thane.livejournal.com]

By defintion there cannot be such a thing as 'platonic sex' Its a contradition in terms. From Websters:

platonic
\Pla*ton"ic\, Platonical \Pla*ton"ic*al\, a. [L. Platonicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. platonique.]
1. Of or pertaining to Plato, or his philosophy, school, or opinions.
2. Pure, passionless; nonsexual; philosophical.

[cosmolinguist]

Does that imply that you might marry them for something else? What would it be?

[gentleman-lech.livejournal.com]

Marriages of convenience happen all the time. Hell, I think half the marriages in Hollywood are designed as publicity stunts. No love there - at least, not as the primary reason for the marriage.

And young people are always getting married just so they don't have an illegitimate child. How many loveless marriages get started that way? Way more than should, that's for certain. I think it's better to have an illegitimate child than it is to have a loveless marriage.