Ways of Knowing: EMOTION
We make sense of the world through eight ways of knowing: language, reason, sense perception, memory, faith, intuition, imagination and emotion. On this page, you will find articles, clips, PowerPoints and links to TED talks for emotion as a WOK.
Possible essay questions:
- To what extent do ways of knowing prevent us from deluding ourselves? Justify your answer with reference to at least one area of knowledge. (specimen 2015)
- There is no such thing as a neutral question. Evaluate this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge. (May 2015)
- “The whole point of knowledge is to produce both meaning and purpose in our personal lives.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? (May 2015)
- “No knowledge can be produced by a single way of knowing.” Discuss. (November 2015)
Primary emotions
Psychologists distinguish six primary emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. Can you recognise these emotions on the faces below? Which other, perhaps more complex, emotions can you think of? Are your emotions innate or rather a product of the knowledge community you belong too? How do other ways of knowing influence your emotions and vice versa?
Are emotions physical or mental?
What are emotions all about? Where do they come from?
According to the James-Lange theory, there is a close connection between our emotions and our bodies. For example, when you are happy, your 'body will smile' and you feel a physical effect of well being. To go even further, you can also create the happy emotion simply by smiling or putting a pencil in your mouth in a way that forces you to smile. Human beings and also some animals unconsciously mimic the physical expressions of the emotions of others when we empathise with them. But are emotions simply a matter of physicality? Or does the mental component play a role as well? To which extent does your belief affect your emotion? Is this different for animals? Philosophers have extensively debated the role of emotions.
Psychologist Amy Cuddy explores the implications of the physicality of emotions (TED).
An exploration of emotional theory through Inside Out.
The historical role of sadness/emotions across cultures and languages
Emotions as a source of knowledge
We all know that emotions influence our judgement, but have you ever thought about how emotions can be an actual source of knowledge as such? Emotions may lead us to knowledge which other ways of knowing cannot reveal. For example, can you truly appreciate the arts without emotion? Emotion lies, together with imagination, at the basis of empathy. It would be very difficult to (try to) understand what others think and feel without being able to rely on emotions. One could argue that emotionally intelligent people are more knowledgeable. However, intelligence is rarely measured through emotion. Western societies often favour reason as a way of knowing whilst discarding emotions as unreliable (and sometimes 'too feminine'). Is it possible for a human scientist to gain knowledge in his/her field without resorting to emotion as way of knowing? Can we come up with a moral code without taking into account emotions? Emotions clearly influence how we view the world, but are we always aware of how emotions lead us to make knowledge claims? Emotions such as disgust, for example, can influence our ethical and political views in quite a subtle manner. How can you know that you love someone? Would you choose a partner purely based on reason? Nevertheless, emotions can also be an obstacle to knowledge. One's faith, language and memory may cloud emotional judgement to such an extent that it is difficult to gain knowledge in an unbiased manner. It may seems strange how we would consider emotions as a source of knowledge in mathematics and science. But... without emotions as a(n) (intellectual) driving force, where would we be?
We all know that emotions influence our judgement, but have you ever thought about how emotions can be an actual source of knowledge as such? Emotions may lead us to knowledge which other ways of knowing cannot reveal. For example, can you truly appreciate the arts without emotion? Emotion lies, together with imagination, at the basis of empathy. It would be very difficult to (try to) understand what others think and feel without being able to rely on emotions. One could argue that emotionally intelligent people are more knowledgeable. However, intelligence is rarely measured through emotion. Western societies often favour reason as a way of knowing whilst discarding emotions as unreliable (and sometimes 'too feminine'). Is it possible for a human scientist to gain knowledge in his/her field without resorting to emotion as way of knowing? Can we come up with a moral code without taking into account emotions? Emotions clearly influence how we view the world, but are we always aware of how emotions lead us to make knowledge claims? Emotions such as disgust, for example, can influence our ethical and political views in quite a subtle manner. How can you know that you love someone? Would you choose a partner purely based on reason? Nevertheless, emotions can also be an obstacle to knowledge. One's faith, language and memory may cloud emotional judgement to such an extent that it is difficult to gain knowledge in an unbiased manner. It may seems strange how we would consider emotions as a source of knowledge in mathematics and science. But... without emotions as a(n) (intellectual) driving force, where would we be?
How do we know we love?
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EMOTIONS AND OTHER WAYS OF KNOWING
TED animated - a dialogue on the role of emotion versus reason in moral progress
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'In a time when irrationality seems to rule both politics and culture, has reasoned thinking finally lost its power? Watch as psychologist Steven Pinker is gradually, brilliantly persuaded by philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein that reason is actually the key driver of human moral progress, even if its effect sometimes takes generations to unfold. The dialogue was recorded live at TED, and animated, in incredible, often hilarious, detail by Cognitive.' (TED)
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