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Single Idea 23967

[filed under theme 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 3. Emotions / f. Emotion and reason ]

Full Idea

It is perfectly intelligible and entirely human to experience an emotion when seeing a low-flying bat, where we would not want to say that the experience was either rational or irrational.

Gist of Idea

Some emotions are direct responses, and neither rational nor irrational

Source

Peter Goldie (The Emotions [2000], Intro)

Book Ref

Goldie,Peter: 'The Emotions' [OUP 2002], p.3


A Reaction

Goldie is attacking the common tendency of philosophers to over-intellectualise emotions. This example makes his point conclusively.