The Role of Emotion in Reasoning and Critical Thinking

Why We Trust Emotions

• Discussion Questions:
  • Why do we trust emotions?
  • Is it beneficial to trust emotions?
  • How can we determine the trustworthiness of an emotion?
  • The debate of facts versus feelings.
  • Relationship between logic and emotion: partners or adversaries?
  • Connection between emotion and critical thinking.

Overview of Emotion Trust

• Three Perspectives on Emotions:
  • First Perspective (Trust Emotion):
  • Emotions can indicate reality (e.g., fear = danger, pride = accomplishment).
  • Personal reliability linked to emotional understanding; emotions reflect truth within one's self.
  • Second Perspective (Logic vs. Emotion):
  • Logic viewed as objective; emotions considered subjective and potentially misleading.
  • Emphasizes reasoning over emotions in critical analysis; emotions can create biases.
  • Third Perspective (Emotions as Valuable):
  • Emotions might convey essential truths.
  • Dismissing emotions in favor of logic as an avoidance of emotional engagement.
  • Challenge lies in discerning which emotions to trust and why.
  • Fun Fact: Reference to President Harry Truman's wish for a single-handed economist illustrating ambivalence.

Trusting Emotions

• Reasons for Trusting Emotions:
  • Emotions can guide perceptions of reality, demonstrating personal reliability and understanding.
  • Trust in emotions reflects a trust in one's own understanding of truth.
  • Can supersede the need for expert validation in moments of self-reflection.

Fallacies of Emotion

• Emotional Dichotomy:
  • Objective (logical thinking) vs. subjective (emotional perspectives).
  • Emotion can cloud objective judgments and introduce biases.
• Common Emotional Fallacies:
  • Appeal to Force: Threatening punishment if disagreement occurs.
  • Appeal to the People: Majority opinion does not guarantee truth.
  • Appeal to Pity: Guilt or sympathy driving unjust conclusions.
  • Deductive Fallacies:
  • Begging the Question: Circular reasoning fails to provide grounds for conclusions.
  • False Dichotomy: Presenting only two choices when more exist.
  • Complex Question: Presuming guilt within the question itself.
• Strategies of Emotional Misdirection:
  • Straw Man Fallacy: Attacking a misrepresentation of someone's argument.
  • Red Herring Fallacy: Distracting from the main issue with irrelevant argumentation.
  • Ad Hominem Fallacy: Attacking the person instead of the argument.

Motivated Reasoning and Rationalization

• Concept of Motivated Reasoning:
  • Cognitive bias towards evidence that supports pre-existing beliefs.
  • Example: Someone ignores rejection and reassesses it by downplaying the other person's worth.
  • Explains post hoc rationalization to affirm beliefs.
• Illusion of Evidence:
  • Individuals may believe their desired conclusion is backed by "evidence" that fits their bias.

Emotions in Reasoning

• Cold vs. Hot Biases:
  • Differentiates reasoning affected by emotional stakes from rationality unaffected by emotion.
• Philosophical Inquiry:
  • Encourages inquiry into emotional responses and their legitimacy in reasoning.
  • Critical thinking demands acknowledgment of emotions without being driven solely by them.

Fitting Responses and Rational Justification

• Evaluating Emotional Responses:
  • Justification of emotional responses based on fittingness to situations; examining appropriateness.
  • How emotions can be rational or excessive—e.g., fear as an appropriate response vs. phobias.
• Implications for Rational Assessment:
  • Not all emotional responses are justifiable; underreactions or overreactions indicate need for critical assessment.

Trusting Feelings - Cautions

• Danger of Blindly Trusting Emotions:
  • Truth-apt does not guarantee accuracy; feelings can be misdirected.
  • The guidance of emotions must be critically evaluated, especially if self-serving or manipulated.
• Strategies for Objective Evaluation of Emotions:
  • Critical inquiry into the origins and motivations behind emotions.
  • Maintain awareness of potential bias influenced by emotional stakes.

Conclusion on Emotions

• Emotions as Integral to Humanity:
  • Emotions play a crucial role in understanding situations; can inform ethical decisions.
  • Critical thinkers must grapple with their emotional impact without sacrificing rational thought.
• Remember: Emotions can be a source of insight but require scrutiny to avoid manipulation or bias.