In his classic book *The Four Loves* C.S. Lewis claimed that friendship is unnecessary: “Like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create),” he writes, “it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” In other words, friendship is a good that has no price tag; it is something to be enjoyed for its own sake. As Lewis himself points out, discussions of friendship are as ubiquitous in ancient and medieval philosophy as they are neglected in modern philosophy. Ancient wisdom promises us the beauty and delight of union with the beloved friend. Modern critiques often highlight the ways that human frailty, alienation, and distractibility often yield only the faintest shadow of true friendship. Our guest, Gilbert Meilaender, has written beautifully on the nature and ends of friendship, and joins us today to reflect on the challenges of friendship in modern times.
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