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Reason & Emotion
Professor Alise Napp
Reason
Reason
the process of supporting a claim or conclusion on the basis of evidence
Reason is a fundamental element of good critical thinking. It involves both the disciplined use of intelligence and the application of rules for problem solving. Reason is often a complex process that calls on our creative resources as well as emotional discernment.
Reason
Let's Discuss
Psychiatrist Reuven Bar-Levav wrote: "Man is essentially not a rational being, merely one capable of rationality."
What do you think he meant by this?
Let's Discuss
Reason & Emotion
Reason and emotion are two sides of the same critical thinking coin. You need to employ both in order to be an excellent critical thinker. In this chapter, we're going to talk about why emotion can be an important part of good critical thinking.
Reason & Emotion
Gender and Rationality
Gender and Rationality
In traditional Western thinking, we often equate reason with the male psyche and emotion with the female psyche. In more recent years, there has been a lot of push back on that classification.
Reason and emotion both exist across the gender spectrum. We all have the chance to develop and strengthen those parts of our brains. Our culture often pushes us to focus on one rather than the other because of gender identification. However, even if we agree to a natural difference in emotional apptitude between the genders, it doesn't mean women cannot excel in rational thought or that men are unable to express themselves emotionally.
As with anything, education and practice is key. We all have the opportunity to nurture both our rational and emotional sides. After all, we need both.
Let's Discuss...
Think about the men and women in your own life or in the public eye who defy these stereotypes.
Name some women who are highly rational.
Name some men who are highly emotional.
Personality
Often times, our balance between rationality and emotion is determined more by personality than anything else. Looking at your Myers-Briggs results probably gave you some insight into your own personality and how you balance reason and emotion. These results can account for both your natural strengths and the aspects of your personality which you have strengthened through practice and cultural influences.
Your Personality
What personality type did you get?
Where you surprised by your results?
Personality and Critical Thinking
How can knowing more about your personality type make you a better critical thinker?
Personality in the Workplace
How might you use this information about yourself in a job interview or the workplace?
Personality and Relationships
How can knowing more about personality types - especially your own - benefit you in personal relationships?
So
What?
Ultimately, the goal of knowing about personality type is to understand, appreciate, and tolerate differences between people.
There is no one best personality.
Emotion
Emotion
Almost all of us know what it feels like to be swept away by our emotions. Their strength can make it incredibly difficult to insert any rationality into a moment or decision. Learning to find the balance between reason and emotion requires us to develop emotional intelligence.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
The ability to perceive accurately, appraise and express emotion
Empathy
The capacity to enter into and understand the emotions of others.
This is a hugely important part of EQ.
Empathy is different than tolerance.
Emotion and Critical Thinking
Emotion and Critical Thinking
Western culture typically sets emotion in opposition to reason. We think of critical thinking as a way of flushing out our emotional responses. Emotion is sometimes even cited as a cause of sloppy reasoning and irrational choices. This does not have to be true.
Many Eastern and African cultures emphasizes relationships and emotion as a part of good thinking and decision making. They believe that thinking critically requires using reason and emotion in tandem.
In Eastern philosophy, Taoists use an analogy between ice and water to explain the relationship between wisdom (reason) and the passions (emotion). Wisdom and passions, like ice and water, are not two different things, but neither are they identical. The ice cube is not the same as - but is also not different from - the water we put in the ice cube tray. Similarly, while thinking operates according to the rules of logic, emotion is governed by the logic of the heart.
Emotion as a Positive
Healthy emotional development is positively correlated with abstract reasoning ability. In other words, a higher "emotional IQ" means you likely are a better critical thinker.
Emotions such as empathy, moral indignation, love, happiness, or even guilt can have a positive effect on our reasoning by influencing us to make better decisions.
Former Vice President Al Gore argued that one reason Americans did not do more to protest the use of torture and high civilian casualties in Iraq or felt little outrage over the slow relief response to Hurricane Katrina is because our emotional IQ has been dulled by sensationalism and violent images on TV. In cases like those, being able to tap into an emotional response would help us to make stronger, more empathetic decisions.
Emotions can serve critical thinking in many ways. Empathy can help discourage rigid, unrealistic, stereo-typical beliefs about others. Happiness contributes to a belief that problems can be solved, as well as helps people adjust to both positive and negative changes in life. Guilt can motivate to correct past mistakes or chart a better course for the future.
Emotion as a Negative
While some emotions can help us to make better decisions, we need to be wary of negative emotions which can derail critical thinking. Emotions can be incredible powerful and we can end up in trouble if we make decisions based exclusively on them.
Emotions based on negative stereotypes, anxieties, or unresolved issues in our past (i.e. anger or fear of abandonment) can be easy to succumb to, despite logic telling you otherwise.
Fear can lead to giving in too easily or denying a problem exists. Anger can aggravate disagreement. Hate and bitterness can corrupt existing or potential relationships.
We have to be especially aware of advertisements or political campaigns that try to incite these negative emotions in order to illicit a particular response. As we'll learn later, appealing to emotion (positive or negative) makes a weak argument.
EQ and Success
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is becoming an increasingly hot topic when discussing success. Many people believe that strong EQ is key to not only success in school or at work, but for life in general. Let's take a look at these two clips to see some ways people believe EQ helps you succeed.
Have you had any EQ training at work or school?
Do you think such training would be valuable?
Emotional Intelligence & Education
Philosopher Kerry Walters thinks we have neglected the important role of emotion in critical thinking. He compares the modern educational system to the Vulcans of Star Trek, who do not experience emotion.
Do you agree or disagree that our Western educational system tries to remove emotion from the experience?
Is this a desirable goal?
How can we balance rationality with emotion in education?
Music and Emotion
Listening to music affects us emotionally as well as cognitively. Studies have shown that listening to classical music can enhance mathematical and reasoning abilities. There are debates as to whether these effects are short- or long-term.
Of course, classical music isn't the only type of music that can affect our emotions, brain patterns, or mental state. Music of all kinds can shift our emotional state - for better or worse.
Music and Emotion
What is your favorite type of music?
How does listening to certain types of music affect your ability to study and engage in critical thinking?
How does listening to certain types of music affect yo...
Do you find that some music helps you study better or worse than other types?
Do you find that some music helps you study better or worse th...
Listening Activity
Let's listen to some different types of music and evaluate what our emotional/mental response is. As we listen to each clip, think about the following:
How do these clips make you feel/think?
Into what scenario would this music fit best?
Listening Activity
Classical
Mozart Piano #16 in C Major
Classical
Jazz
Miles Davis Quintet
"It Never Entered My Mind"
Jazz
Reggae
Bobby McFerrin
"Don't Worry, Be Happy"
Reggae
Salsa
Simona Cavuoto
"Pobre Diabla"
Salsa
Rock
AC/DC
"Highway to Hell"
Rock
New Age
Enya
"Only Time"
New Age
Pop
Rachel Platten
"Fight Song"
Pop
Artificial Intelligence
So why is emotion so special?
Do we really understand it?
Could we replicate it?
That question haunts those who work in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Will machines ever be able to decipher and demonstrate human emotion? To answer that question, let's look closer at AI and what it can do now.
After all, we interact with AI every day. We should probably understand how it compares to our own intelligence and capabilities.
What types of artificial intelligence do we use every day?
Human Intelligence
Human Intelligence
We generally presume that we are the smartest beings on Earth. We are one of few species capable of reason and emotions. The capabilities of our mind, after all, are what make us special and set us apart from most of our animal counterparts.
Increasingly in the past decades, we have been fascinated with the idea of synthetic or artificial intelligence. There are countless books and movies centered on the idea, particularly the idea that artificial intelligence could one day surpass our own mental abilities. Can you name some?
Of course, before we worry about robots taking over the world, let's consider what true artificial intelligence is and if it's even possible...
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The study of the computations that make it possible for machines to perceive, reason, and act.
AI draws from three disciplines: cognitive philosophy, philosophy of mind, and computer science. It was initially used to enhance or augment human reasoning and make our lives easier. Has it done that?
The long-term goal of AI is to produce an intelligent machine which could engage in abstract decision making and other cognitive operations completely independently. In other words, we're trying to make a machine learn critical thinking.
The Turing Test
The Turing Test
Back in the 1950s, Alan Turing (the British mathematician who played a huge role in developing the first computers) asked, "Can machines think?" He developed a method of testing conscious intelligence.
Turing Test
A means of determining if artificial intelligence is conscious, self-directed intelligence.
The test involves a machine being asked to perform cognitive tasks (such as carrying on a conversation) without a person knowing they are interacting with a machine.
Watson
Watson
So can computers actually think?
We've made a lot of progress in this area in the past few decades. These days, computers can search through vast stores of information in the fraction of a second. The Internet allows even further exploration of information, raising the possibility of AI being hooked into one, huge global brain.
But What Is Watson Really Good At?
IBM has uses commericals to showcase Watson's ability in "the real world. Suddenly, this particular AI is no longer just about showing up humans on Jeopardy. Here are a few of the commercials meant to demonstrate his real world skills:
Cyber Security
Aviation
Athletics
Agriculture
Workplace
Healthcare
Is This Art?
Artificial Emotions
Artificial Emotions
Recently, scientists have been interested in the idea of a machine which can not only think critically but also have sociable functions, enabling them to interact on an emotional level and cooperate with people.
If we can program reason, why not emotion?
Computer scientists are divided on this issue. There are two schools of thought regarding AI and emotion:
Mathematician and physicist Roger Penrose argues that human consciousness and emotion is neither algorithmic nor based on classic mechanics, which is the foundation of computing. He believes this basic difference will keep computers from ever truly being able to develop human-like thinking or consciousness.
Some scientists, such as "father of artificial intelligence" Herbert A. Simon, believe computers already have emotions. Simon maintained there is no sharp line between thinking and emotion. He argues that belief that intelligent computers are not thinking and conscious is based on prejudice against AI. After all, people were also once convinced that woman or individuals of certain ethnicities were not really capable of rational thought.
BONUS DISCUSSION
Let's talk about self-driving cars?
Good thing or bad thing?
For consumers?
For our economy?
For the future?
BONUS DISCUSSION
AI in Hollywood
Before we move back to talking about more traditionally academic subjects, let's take a look at AI in pop culture. Hollywood loves the idea of artificial intelligence taking over our world (think The Matrix). They've been using that plot for decades now.
Can you think of a movie that uses AI as part of its plot?
AI in Hollywood
What do you think draws audiences to plots about artificial intelligence?
What do you think draws audiences to plots about artifici...
Examples
We're going to watch some clips of movies where AI plays a big role. As we watch, I want you to consider two things:
1) How is AI being portrayed visually? What does it look like (if anything) on screen?
2) What is the emotional portrayal of AI? How are you supposed to feel about the technology?
Examples
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
War Games (1983)
The Matrix (1999)
Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Her (2013)
Discussion
How did the physical portrayal of AI change in those clips?
How does the emotional portrayal of AI change in those clips?
How do you think the portrayal of AI will continue to change as it becomes increasingly engrained in our real lives?
Discussion
Use your imagination. How will AI be portrayed next?
Do you think the fixation on AI in our storytelling is a good or bad thing for society?
What does the prevalence of AI in our stories say about humans and our future?
What does the prevalence of AI in our stories say about huma...
Faith and Reason
Let's circle back around to reason.
For many people, faith has an enormous influence on their thinking. It impacts both our reason and emotion. Because of the strong influence of faith (or even lack thereof), I think it's important to address as we talk about reason
As we discuss faith, please strive for grace, respect, and an open mind. Feel free to share as much or as little of your personal experience as you are comfortable with. This is going to look a little different for all of us - and that's ok!
What is Faith?
What is Faith?
That question is arguably far too complex to answer here, but let's at least get a grasp on a lexical definition of the term.
Faith
Belief and trust in, and obedience to a religious deity.
Or, in much more poetic terms, "The substance of things hopes for, the evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1
Faith is more than a belief that God, or a deity of some kind, exists. Faith involves an act of trust in and obedience to that God. Real, deep faith is pervasive and permeating - a lifestyle, not just a dogma.
So Why Faith vs. Reason?
It's easy to see how faith and reason can be pitted against one another. Reason demands evidence. Faith demands trust without evidence.
If faith were open to rational examination, it would not be genuine faith. If faith is dependent on rational proof, then it is more likely to falter - be that a positive or negative reality. One weakness of fideism (having faith) is that being convinced something is true does not make it true (i.e. Santa Claus). On the other hand, the fact that we cannot, or have not yet, scientifically proven the existence of a transcendent realm of the divine does not mean that is does not exist.
Knowing vs. Believing
In a lot of ways, rationality demands "knowing." It seeks credible evidence and reliable information. Yet, we have to be careful with the language we use. There are lots of things we claim to "know" which, in fact, we only "believe."
Take, for instance, the moon landing. Most people don't debate that the moon landing happened. We claim to "know" it happened. Yet - do we really? Or do we believe the information with which we have been presented to be true? What would it take for us to move from believing to knowing? We'll talk about this concept more in Chapter 4.
While knowing and believing (reason and faith) do seem to be at odds in some ways, we live on that tenuous ground all the time. This is stage 3 of cognitive development: commitment. We commit to believing in the moon landing while recognizing that more information could come along and prove us wrong. Meanwhile, we'll keep believing. This is what rational, committed faith looks like for many, too.
Everday Faith
Are you feeling any of those resistances as we talk about faith? If you don't consider yourself to be a person of faith, that well could be. Consider this, though: we all have faith in something.
Maybe you don't ascribe to a particular religious faith. You do still exert faith in your daily life, though. Even if you're not thinking about the moon landing, you're demonstrating faith in all sorts of things: that chair won't collapse when you sit down, this class will eventually end, your house will be there when you get home, your mom loves you (I hope!)...the list goes on.
In a lot of ways, everyday faith is equivalent to trust. We believe something without having definitive proof it will happen.
Faith and Rationality
Faith and Rationality
Ok - so what does it mean to live with both faith and rationality? Your book defines balancing the two as:
Critical Rationalism
The belief that faith is based on direct revelation of God and that there should be no logical inconsistencies between revelation and reason.
Just as with reason and emotion, we want to be careful to find balance and not drift to either extreme. Rationality without faith (particularly that everyday faith) would be insufferable - like a child who asks endless questions and is never satisfied with the answer. It would be unsustainable. Faith without rationality can be dangerous - this is where religious extremism comes from. The Jim Jones suicide cult, the KKK, and ISIS are all examples of faith without reason.
But What If We Don't Agree?
But What If We Don't Agree?
Being a critical rationalist would be easy if everyone agreed with the faith from which your actions stemmed. That's not the world in which we live, though. There is an incredible diversity of thought and belief in our world. So - what happens when our faith conflicts with someone else's?
First, let's start with love. Every major religion has some sort of tenant about loving others. Call it the Golden Rule or something else - they all teach the importance of caring for our neighbors. And, as far as I know, none of them restrict that love to people who are the same as you. If every major religion preaches love toward others, it's probably a pretty good place to start. Treat people as you would want to be treated. Try to empathize with their position, even if you disagree with it.
As we'll discuss in Chapter 4, we all experience life through our own lens. Taking time to see the world through the lens of another person can be intensely rewarding and educational. There is always something we can learn. When we meet someone who believes differently than we do, they likely still have qualities and believes that we can admire, learn from, and use to enhance our own faith.
"If you admire our faith, strengthen yours.
If you admire our sense of commitment, deepen yours.
If you admire our community spirit, build your own.
If you admire the simple life, cut back.
If you admire deep character and enduring values, live them yourself."
Suzanne Woods Fisher, Amish Peace
"Unity does not require uniformity."
-Rachel Held Evans, Searching for Sunday
Moving Forward...
- Read Chapter 3
- Chapter 2 Quiz
- Essay 1