The Love Implant

If scientists within our society created an implant that could amplify the love between two individuals by releasing bonding chemicals like oxytocin and vasopressin, would you buy it? Before we all get our implants, we should discuss some potential consequences that could come out of it. The first potential consequences that I see are related to equality. Equality is an integral part of healthy relationships. Today, there are many relationships with a lack of equality of power. These relationships often have one partner who doesn’t have a say and is doubting the relationship and whether they should stay in it. As outsiders, we hope that the relationship can be improved or that the person can leave the relationship and find someone who gives them equal respect. But, if there is a chip that could amplify the attachment that these two have and potentially save the relationship, the one in the relationship who is in charge may manipulate their partner into getting it. If the partner then were to follow through with it, they would have a love-producing chip inside them, creating love on false pretenses. Then, this chip could alter their ability to access those doubtful thoughts about the relationship, so it could keep them stuck in that situation, building a relationship that isn’t natural.

This also affects the individual’s personal autonomy within the relationship. Any decision or feeling produced regarding their partner after getting the implant is potentially a fabricated one. While on the surface, the relationship may seem to be going better than ever, the original state of the relationship wasn’t healthy. This is just one example of a consequence that could happen. Many other scenarios could play out, but one thing remains consistent: this attachment created and boosted by this chip would be fabricated. For some, this may not be an issue. Some relationships may be so in love and happy with each other that they want to get the chip to enhance their relationship even more. The chip could strengthen this sense of unity and wholeness within a relationship. A unique chip for a relationship would create a sense of unity that people have never had before. False chemicals are still chemicals, so the feelings are the same, and the couple could grow even stronger than they were before. The question now is, can this version of love support, negate, or disvalue the original views of love we have studied?

A love implant amplifies and boosts a relationship, so the partners have a stronger bond. Feminist Philosophers like Shulamith Firestone argue that people, especially women, should leave behind these relationships and focus on individual growth and independence because traditional monogamous relationships are rooted in oppressive gender roles. The chip's power over the emotions, decisions, and attraction of an individual would go against everything that Firestone stands for. Firestone advocates for individual autonomy, and this chip completely removes that as it binds two people together electronically. I also think that Firestone would be advocating for and including polyamory in the conversation because their love is what she preferred. Potential consequences like those mentioned earlier would align with the fears that Firestone may have of this implant. Manipulation and power dynamics would be a grave danger with this implant as it could lead to long-term oppressive control over an individual who agrees to get the chip against their will.

Another Philosopher Named Jean-Jacques Rousseau also had beliefs that would frown upon this implant. Rousseau’s philosophical ideas of love are centered around authenticity and nature. He believed love should be based on natural emotions unaffected by artificial desires and societal intervention. The love implant would be an outrageous idea to Rousseau, and the lack of personal autonomy and freedom to express one’s unaltered emotions is why. Rousseau believed that what he called passionate love could transform people and make them the best version of themselves. With his ideology, one should not have to alter their body physically to find and produce passionate love.

Philosopher Robert Nozick had similar views about autonomy that would aggressively go against the love implant. Nozick’s emphasis on autonomy was autonomy free from interference. He advocated for freedom and the ability for individuals to pursue their own romantic interests without external restrictions or pressures. A chip that produces fake chemicals to encourage a stronger love between two people is the exact thing that Nozick would be worried about. This form of imposed obligation, although not required, would put pressure on relationships that has not been there before. It would be difficult for a relationship to decide on and would probably lead to a lack of unpressured personal autonomy. This is exactly what Nozick is speaking against and does not support.

To continue with Nozick’s ideas, the issue of identity is also very important when discussing the love implant. Couples who choose to get the implant and couples who choose not to get the implant will be very divided, and like everything else in our society, they will become politicized. Not to mention that the chemicals in a person’s body will be affected by this chip. Every thought and emotion toward one’s partner is altered. Individuals in relationships with implants would have a completely different experience than natural relationships. This would heavily impact the identity of the individuals and change their perception of their significant other’s identity. Nozick’s ideas, such as self-ownership, would have a hard time existing with this implant. People’s fundamental right to their own bodies and minds is impossible to have because their body and mind are altered to be in favor of their partner.

With all this said, I believe the love implant would not benefit erotic love. I believe that an implant like this would only add to issues of inequality within our society and lead to many superficial foundations for relationships.

The importance of these things for me personally is very high, and I hope that others are educated on the importance of these issues as well, to hopefully prevent something like this from happening.