By Dr. Donald DeMarco, Catholic Exchange, Feb. 10, 2023
Dr. Donald DeMarco is Professor Emeritus, St. Jerome’s University and Adjunct Professor at Holy Apostles College. He is is the author of forty-two books and a former corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy of Life. …
Whether there is such a thing as ‘love at first sight’ is an age-old question. Its defenders might point to Dante’s first encounter with Beatrice. Yet, the historical record shows that when they first met, Beatrice was 8-years-old and Dante was 9. Dante was no doubt smitten by Beatrice. He assigned her a lofty role in his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. But was his initial response to her something closer to fascination than love?
It seems that love must develop from a basis of knowledge, according to the Latin aphorism, “Ubi amor, Ibi oculus” (wherever there is love there is knowledge). In the absence of knowledge there may be ‘infatuation,’ a term whose root refers to being fooled. Love endures, whereas infatuation soon fades away. While I believe in like at first look, I remain skeptical about love at first sight. …