Single Idea 23947

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

Full Idea

To divide the soul into reason and passion …divides us against ourselves, forcing us each to be defensively half a person, instead of a harmonious whole.

Gist of Idea

Dividing ourselves into confrontational reason and passion destroys our harmonious whole

Source

Robert C. Solomon (The Passions [1976], 2.3)

Book Reference

Solomon,Robert C.: 'The Passions (1993 ed)' [Hackett 1993], p.58


A Reaction

This is the best aspect of Solomon's book. I'm not sure, though, how this works in practice. Should I allow the winds of emotion to alter the course of my reasoning, or stunt my feelings by always insisting that reason plays a part? That's too dualist!