Philosophical question for the day.

[davywavy]

Are fear and anger rational reactions/ states? And, if not, why are they not when others are?

Comments

[raggedhalo.livejournal.com]

Well, they're emotions, so demonstrably they're not rational. That doesn't make them bad.

[aiwendel.livejournal.com]

Since when were any emotions rational?
hmm?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Well, exactly. And I'm not sure it's possible to be actually emotionless.

[aiwendel.livejournal.com]

ergo humans are never entirely rational - I buy that! :)

I think the buddhists aim for a lack of emotion with mediation - and meditation has been proven to boost results in IQ tests, ergo, I presume, rationality or at least clear thinkingness...

But to be emotion free would be to be inhuman, - it might be more rational, but possibly not more humane....


Though actually the buddhist probably aim for compassion - which is still emotional...
hmmm

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

Are we talking about the same sort of rational as we do when we're talking about my economic preference for Jaffa cakes over Monte Carlo biscuits?

[matrixmann]

Both can be emotions, but for fear, it can also be a natural reaction to give you indication that it's time to save your life.
Without fear, you would try to fight a bear bare-handed and you would never learn that running into a car could possibly kill you.

[(Anonymous)]

If there is such a thing as what we define as "Reason" and since we define "Rational" as that which is based on "Reason" and since "Fear" and "Anger" are states of Mind that are not based on the thing that we call "Reason"; then "Fear" and "Anger" are not "Rational".

However if we redefine "Rational" as "Sensible" then the flight or fight response is entirely rational. Personally I am happy to skip the logical thought process when half a ton of enraged grizzly bear comes running at me or a bunch of Vikings are set on chopping up my genetic offspring.

Didn't Wittgenstein's disciples like Gertrude Anscombe have quite cushty careers doing chat like this?

D

[gnommi.livejournal.com]

I think any limbic responses are necessarily irrational ie nothing to do with forebrain procedures like thinking. You can rationalise the way you feel, of course. I guess you might develop an emotional response to the way/things you think, but I guess that's not the same.

[(Anonymous)]

It's impossible to fully appraise all situations in real time so you need shortcuts to things which have worked before - Big furry animal running towards you looking hungry? Evade!