Emotion vs. Reason

532 Words3 Pages
TOK Essay: Emotion vs. Reason Hamza Usmani- October 4, 2013 To what extent are intuition and emotion more effective than reasoning and logic in making/validating knowledge claims? Internationally acclaimed “TED Talks” speaker David Brooks stated in his lectures, “For centuries, we have inherited a view of human nature based on the notion that we are divided selves. Reason is separated from the emotions, and society progresses to the extent that reason can suppress the passions”. The notion that emotion and reason fight against each other amongst humans is a concept which has yet to be completely justified, however it is clearly demonstrable. It is commonly believed that human emotions, and gut-feelings/intuition, interfere with rational thinking, and so when making knowledge claims, these passions should be subdued. This idea, although it may sound difficult to achieve, is one which I believe should be implemented and is absolutely justified. In essence, logic and reasoning is much more effective in making/validating knowledge claims than emotion. Foremost, logical thinking is a “system” in the human mind, which, by definition, attempts to find the smartest and most reasonable solution to a problem. Emotions, on the other hand, are instinctive thoughts built into human nature, and rely solely on an individual’s gut-feeling or intuition. With these definitions in mind, it is easy to see why emotions would realistically be less effective than reason in constructing and validating knowledge claims. Plato described emotion and reason as two horses pulling us in opposite directions, and while reason drives an individual to make a logical decision or knowledge claim, emotion can do just the opposite. For example, in a fit of rage, you may claim that you hate an individual, as your emotions at that current moment lead you to believe so. However later on, once your mind
Open Document