Emotions from the Philosophical Perspective - Essay Example

Different philosophers have come up with different theories on emotions. Emotions are taken to be feelings or sensations. Emotions are rational and purposive according to Solomon who says that we choose our emotion just as we choose a course of action (306). Emotions are intentional for instance we get angry with someone for a particular act they have committed. Hence there is a purpose and it is absolutely rational. Hume agrees with Solomon that the emotion of anger is caused by an external being of whose thoughts and sensations we have no idea of (102). It may be based on wrong judgment but anger rises by the act of that independent being. Solomon (307) and Hume (97) further agree that emotions must have an object. The difference in the two theories lies in the object of anger. While Hume (97) believes that the object of anger is the self, Solomon (307) believes cause of anger is the object. Hume believes the cause is different from the object. For instance, John stole my car, would imply that I am angry or the self is affected because it is my car that John has stolen, according to Hume as the object that has been affected is the self. Hume however gives importance to What has made me angry, the cause or purpose of anger. Solomon further says that the emotion of anger cannot be separated from the purpose of anger (307). Solomon stresses that emotions are different from feelings while James (176) says that without emotions the feelings are mere intellectual perceptions. Solomon says emotions change with our opinions and emotions involve feelings. He says one can have an emotion without feeling anything which is contradicted by James. One can be angry without feeling angry but James says in anger unless the fist is tightened or the teeth clenched, it is cold and ruthless cognition of the intellect (175). Again, Solomon argues that anger need not be caused by an external being. It could be lack of sleep or too much of coffee in which Solomon’s theory is contradicted who insists that there has to be a cause for the emotion (311). The cause of emotion is an actual event and the object of emotion is an intentional object. Solomon argues that emotions are similar to beliefs but different from feelings. The emotion according to him arises according to moral judgment of the situation, which is normative in nature. Emotions are in fact based on moral judgments but they are always rash judgments. The anger at John is also because I feel John has wronged me in stealing the car. My anger is that judgment, says Solomon. This is the I that Hume says is the object, the self that has been affected. Solomon believes that the evidence upon which an individual becomes emotional is incomplete and the knowledge of what one is emotional about is superficial. Hence the two philosophers differ on the object of the emotion. Solomon says that a person cannot identify at the time the purpose of the emotion which is contrary to what James believes. The theory of James (175) implies that the bodily expression occurs because we understand the purpose of emotion but Solomon refutes this saying that we cannot be angry and know that the anger has a purpose. Emotions are non-deliberate choices and blind a person (Solomon 325). At the same time, nobody can escape emotions and hence one should learn to self-reflective and make the right decisions. These decisions are about the cause and purpose of emotions, the judgment and the right act that would diffuse the emotion. He says this makes us believe in the power that lies within us. Hume however says that the strength of mind is nothing but the prevalence of calm passions over the violent ones (96). Hume emphasizes that there is no man so perfect that at no point in his life has he yielded to violent passions. It is usually believed that some perception excites the mind and this emotion then gives rise to bodily expression. James disagrees and believes that the bodily changes follow directly the perception of the exciting fact, and that our feeling of the same changes as they occur is the emotion (174). This can be very clearly explained by the emotion of fear. When we see a tiger the first action is to run. At that point of time the impulse is to run for self protection. This itself is an expression of the emotion of fear and there is no other fear that is felt. James also believes that objects excite bodily changes and the changes are so numerous and subtle that the entire organism becomes a sounding board. With changes in emotional moods, an individual can experience different local bodily feelings (James 175). The moment we get any information of trouble it is not possible to arrest the tide of any strong gust of passion. The whole being is sensibly alive and if one experiences embarrassment, immediately either one expresses it as a swallow in the throat or coughs or clears the throat. This is the expression of emotion. James confirms this theory by saying that suppose one experiences a surge of emotion and tries to isolate from all bodily expressions, is there anything left to feel? It will just be a cold and neutral state of intellectual perception. Anyone who has the emotion of fear rising in him will experience faster heartbeat or weakened limbs or dry throat or trembling lips. In a state of rage the face is flushed, the teeth are clenched; in grief there have to be tears or sobs. Without these expressions of emotions it would only be feelingless cognition that certain situations are deplorable (James 176). In nutshell emotion cannot be dissociated with bodily feeling. Emotions are the secondary impressions that form in the mind and arise from the original impression (Hume 95). Again the reflective impressions can be calm or violent. The impression about the sense of beauty or deformity are the ones that maintain calmness whereas those that give rise to turbulence are extreme emotions like love and hatred, grief and joy, pride and humility. These are passions and are violent in nature while those that give rise to sense of beauty or deformity are calmer emotions. Hume concentrates his study on the violent emotions or passions. Passions can again be direct or indirect. Passions have an object and similarly, both pride and humility have an object – the self. The human mind will feel elated by pride, or dejected with humility and these leave an impression on the memory or the consciousness (Hume 97). This feeling of elation or dejection is based on the perception that the mind has of the self. Violent emotions or passions are always connected to the self. The self can only be the object and not the cause of the passions. Pride and humility are contrary emotions but the object is common – the self. Even though the object is the same, both these emotions do not rise in the person at the same time. There is an easy transition from one emotion to another. The object of love and hatred on the other hand is some other being external to us. We are not conscious of that person’s thoughts, actions and sensations but the object is not the cause of passion (Hume 102). The object in both cases is some thinking person and the sensation of one is pleasant while that of the other is uneasiness. The theory that is most acceptable is that of James who believes that bodily expression follows the emotion. Feelings are thoughts and emotions are the expression of those thoughts. Hume’s theory differentiated between calm and violent passions and also says that a person can be possessed in passion. This need not always be true because an emotion does not always aggravate the mind. Solomon urges to discover the power that lies within but it is not possible for any human being to control the emotion all the time and be conscious of the power within. When a tiger is approaching me I will have to run to save my life and there is no time to think of what action should be taken. It is also not possible to separate the emotion of anger from the purpose of anger as suggested by Solomon. When a tiger confronts, the emotion of anger makes the person run for life. The purpose of anger and the emotion of anger are both directed towards the tiger. It is not to the self although it is for self-protection. At that moment there is no time to think of taking a rational decision or make a moral judgment. This has to be dealt with as the situation demands and is the most practical for human beings. Emotions are not merely impressions on the mind (Hume 95) but give rise to the direction for actions (James 175). Whether emotions are rational, moral judgments or purposive, cannot be determined when life is at stake and one has to run away from a chasing tiger. Hence the theory of James is the most practical for survival. Read More