Emotions also provide the agent with different perspectives on the same situation that may aid them to rationally assess their situation. For example, if one is jealous they may evaluate why they feel jealous. Thus, emotions provide a reason to evaluate and judge one’s situation, and results in a more informed knower. Even emotions which may not seem rational contain cognitionsi 9 vital for one’s reasoning. This occurs with empatheticii and anticipatoryiii emotions.10 For example, I could feel sorry for a friend because he or she was fired. From my perspective, this is not rational because it is not my loss. In this case, simply using reason as a means to evaluate my situation would ultimately destroy my friendship, but with emotion and reason, I would be able to support
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my depressed friend. As well, the observation of another’s emotional experience provides a learning experience in that it would enhance one’s ability to reason in a similar situation in the future. By reasonably evaluating our emotions and the judgments that arise from them we become better informed and more reasonable beings.
Emotions also provide a subconscious or conscious ‘paradigm scenario’iv which acts as an aid in our reasoning.11 Subconsciously, a paradigm scenario will result in a reasonable decision because of the force of habit. Charles Darwinv explained the theory when he wrote The Principle of Serviceable Associated Habits. This book ascertains that ‘certain complex actions are of direct or indirect service under certain states of mind, in order to relieve or gratify certain sensations, desires…,and whenever the same state of mind is induced,…there is a tendency through the force of habit and association for the same movements to be performed.’12 For example, in a recent thunderstorm my dogs continually whined and barked and took refuge underneath my bed. A similar scene, a paradigm scenario, occurs every time my dogs appear frightened. Therefore, as a result of the feeling of fear or perhaps anxiousness, my dogs habitually seek refuge. A problem of knowledge is that it can not be proven whether or not habit is a result of an emotion
because habits are performed subconsciously and are therefore they are difficult to evaluate. Also, even if one did discover that their habits were a result of their emotions there would be no way to prove the same for everyone else. Emotions can also provide paradigm scenario’s consciously which, upon evaluation, can lead to a more rational decision. In this way, the emotions of different people act as an aid to each other. For instance, if one was to feel the need to criticize another person, that person would be forced to respond and evaluate why they are being criticized. Then, from this emotion triggered reasoning, they could determine whether they should defend themselves or not. Therefore, emotion gives reason for evaluation.
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Emotions are also useful in reasoning because they provide one with an undeniable reality which may at first cloud their reasoning, but ultimately can not lie. For instance, one can not “talk themselves” into a genuinely true emotional state.13 As an illustration, we’ll pretend an innocent student was accused of attempting to cheat by a teacher whom he/she highly admired and respected. Although these feelings of admiration and respect might initially make the feelings of hurt and insult overwhelming, ‘clearer heads prevail,’14 and the student would be able to reasonably assess the situation, their emotions, and draw the correct conclusions. The student would know, from his/her feeling of hurt and insult as opposed to guilt, that his/her intentions were never to cheat despite the accusations of the teacher. These feelings would act rationally in that they would guide the student to seek those who support him/her, and to provide the teacher with the necessary explanations of his/her predicament. Simultaneously, the emotions act rationally and cooperatively within the student as he/she is eventually able to view the situation clearly, and the equitable feelings of innocence and the notion of being mistreated prevails despite the feeling of respect and admiration that the student has for the teacher. As well, Antonio Damasiovi wrote of emotions as an aid to rationality15 . For example, when studying for my exams the material I remember the best is the material that generates the most interest and emotion in me. Emotions act rationally even in our everyday lives. For example, a couple can not have a loving relationship unless some level of intimacy and honest emotional expression is reached.16 The feeling would act rationally in that one’s love for the other person would allow them to see past most of their faults thus resulting in a healthier relationship. Also, the realization that one is loved or admired provides reason to set a good example and feel confident. Similarly, if someone’s loved one was to die, the sadness might be overwhelming. Nonetheless, eventually, emotions would act rationally in that they would provide a realization that the deceased would want them to carry on with their life. Therefore, the realization of the deceased emotions over the living’s emotions provides reason to carry on. A problem of knowledge is that for some people, the sadness may still be too much to overcome.
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However, in these situations it is most likely that the person is or should be in therapy. For example, in the famous case of Romeo and Juliet where the lovers commit suicide to be with one another in death.17 Nonetheless, this is a somewhat selfish suicide since it is evident throughout the play Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another is great, and neither one would ever wish death upon the other, no matter what the circumstances. Nevertheless, emotions drive our lives forward.
In conclusion, emotions are valuable windows to our souls which allow us to see and learn about even the most mysterious of things. Thus, there are questions that even the most rational thinker can not answer without emotion. For example, ‘is the glass half empty or half full?’18 In order to be reasonable we must use what we know, and we know are emotions better than anything. “To thine own self be true; and it must follow, as the night the day, thou can’st not then be false to any man”19
1 Greenspan Patricia, Practical Reasoning and Emotion [15 February 2003]
2 Greenspan Patricia,
3 Greenspan Patricia,
3 Greenspan Patricia,
5 Weiner Jordana, Aristotle’s Syllogism: Logic takes form.
i For example, ‘if all humans are mortal and all Greek’s are humans then all Greek’s are mortal.’
i mental states that are worth evaluating
ii Putting oneself in the place of another
iii Anticipating something
iv Similar scenario for each similar emotion type
v Famous 19th century British naturalist
12 Darwin Charles, The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals: Chapter 1, General Principles of Expression (New York: D Appleton and Company, 1872) p. 282
vi Author of Descartes Error who invented the strategy of “marking” emotions
16 Phil, Brown The Death Of Intimacy: Barriers to meaningful interpersonal relationships (New York: Haworth Press, 1995)
17 Shakespeare William, Hamlet. Act i, Sc. 3
19 Shakespeare William, Hamlet. Act i, Sc. 3
