is it possible
 

for any two attractive people, sexual preferences considered, to have a completely platonic friendship?

No, there can be a practical platonic relationship, but somewhere deep in the animal brain is the "Hmmm, a possible alternative breeding partner".

It's hard wired and ignorable.

Did you not see when Harry Met Sally?

not completely but mostly

No, I don;t think so. One of my good friends is gay....and I know it...and I still want to jump him :D Talk about being hard wired. :p

My best friend is a guy, and it hasn't always been strictly platonic...although it is now that I am married.

Geezzzzzzz...I've thought about this a lot before I replied and I was gonna say that women might be able to, but men can't. But I gotta say NO! No matter the gender or sexual orientation there will always be that miniscule fleeting moment where it will flash in the brain, "Hmmmmm...I wonder if...ahhh, maybe not".

I say NO...absolutely not!

Dont think so, I've gotten close to getting in deep with best friend before.. somthing said I'd loose her as my best friend if I let it go any further so I couldent continue that way, were still best friends years later.

I agree. You can be very platonic, but there's always going to be that animal instinct in there.

Nope

:cboy:

And having asked that...here's the interaction:

Harry Burns: You realize of course that we could never be friends.
Sally Albright: Why not?
Harry Burns: What I'm saying is - and this is not a come-on in any way, shape or form - is that men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.
Sally Albright: That's not true. I have a number of men friends and there is no sex involved.
Harry Burns: No you don't.
Sally Albright: Yes I do.
Harry Burns: No you don't.
Sally Albright: Yes I do.
Harry Burns: You only think you do.
Sally Albright: You say I'm having sex with these men without my knowledge?
Harry Burns: No, what I'm saying is they all WANT to have sex with you.
Sally Albright: They do not.
Harry Burns: Do too.
Sally Albright: They do not.
Harry Burns: Do too.
Sally Albright: How do you know?
Harry Burns: Because no man can be friends with a woman that he finds attractive. He always wants to have sex with her.
Sally Albright: So, you're saying that a man can be friends with a woman he finds unattractive?
Harry Burns: No. You pretty much want to nail 'em too.
Sally Albright: What if THEY don't want to have sex with YOU?
Harry Burns: Doesn't matter because the sex thing is already out there so the friendship is ultimately doomed and that is the end of the story.
Sally Albright: Well, I guess we're not going to be friends then.
Harry Burns: I guess not.
Sally Albright: That's too bad. You were the only person I knew in New York.

It's absolutely possible for them to have the completely platonic friendship but if they are both attractive then I'm thinking the non-platonic thoughts are going to be that much more likely to creep in and thus increase the chances that the platonic thing goes right out the window, if only for a fleet moment. That's my theory on it anyway. I know I've had strictly platonic relationships with many very attractive ladies over the years. But you're talking about both parties being attractive right?

platonic in the person's mind at the very least...having a sexual thought would make the relationship not completely platonic.
and when i say attractive ... well, that's all in the perception of the person looking, right?

I wouldn't be friends with someone I didn't like, and I wouldn't have sex with someone I didn't connect with on more than just a sexual plane. ( no snakes on a plane jokes please)

I think at some point, sex would be something we would both consider. Acting on those thoughts are a different thing altogether though. I don't know that I would go there. But I'm sure I'd think about it! :D

Well 'attractive' is such a subjective thing. By its definition if you consider someone attractive then a relationship is not platonic in your head.

Having said that, I think I'm generally considered to be an attractive(ish) woman and I have a friend whom I also consider to be attractive, but our relationship is purely platonic and I could never imagine it being sexual. He's a very good looking straight bloke, but I do not find him sexy at all. Having said that, when I first saw him (performing in a play) I thought 'Oooh - he's nice' but as soon as I got to know him, those thoughts just flew out of the window.

That's not to say I don't flirt with him though. I flirt with everyone, girls included.

I don't know...I can recognize someone as attractive without wanting to sleep with them. But I guess that statement limits attractive to a physical analysis. I can see a pretty or handsome person without wanting to have sex but if we're talking about attractive in a sense where I'm attracted to them (mind, body & soul) then see above answer. ha ha