Research on Unlimited Love

Posted by Jerry Lopper Aug 16, 2007

An organization named The Institute for Research on Unlimited Love has the mission to scientifically study the benefits of unlimited love on those who give and receive it. Now you might think an organization with this name would be located in San Fransisco, or at least in California.

But you'd be wrong. Would you believe Cleveland, Ohio? Not only is it located in Cleveland, but it is essentially located within Case Western Reserve as it's president, Stephen Post, is a faculty member there. Case is historically a scientific and engineering institution, so it's surprising to see the "soft" science of love quartered there.

What is Ultimate Love?

The Institute's website offers the following definition of unlimited love:

"The essence of love is to affectively affirm as well as to unselfishly delight in the well-being of others, and to engage in acts of care and service on their behalf; unlimited love extends this love to all others without exception, in an enduring and constant way. Widely considered the highest form of virtue, unlimited love is often deemed a Creative Presence underlying and integral to all of reality: participation in unlimited love constitutes the fullest experience of spirituality."

Science and Spirituality

The Institute is yet another example of science bringing its methodologies and experience to the "softer" side of humanity. The growth and development of Positive Psychology is another. Each initiative of this sort serves to bring us to a greater understanding of what it means to be human: the totality of mind, body, and soul.

I applaud the Institute's mission and research projects, the partial results of which are in this article.