The Case for Taking Love-Inducing Drugs
What’s the Latest Development?
Oxford University philosophers have put forward a case for the use of love-inducing drugs in situations where sustained feelings of human affection would contribute positively to the rearing of children or maintenance of long-term relationships. Evolutionary biologists believe love functions to promote responsible parenting, but in an age when parents live long past the child-rearing phase, maintaining relationships can prove difficult, particularly given our natural inclination toward promiscuity. Lifespans in the modern era are, by evolutionary standards, extremely long.
What’s the Big Idea?
Drugs like MDMA and sprays that release oxytocin, which have been tested in controlled psychological settings, are known to increase the amount and duration of affection present in romantic couples. Treatments like anti-depressants and Viagra already counteract naturally-occurring phenomena to reinforce bonds of empathy and passion. Where we may be inclined to see moral hazards in tampering with our natural moods, the Oxford philosophers argue that taking love-inducing drugs may be a moral obligation in cases where parents do not show enough love to their children.
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