Single Idea 5963

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

Full Idea

Some philosophers make the emotions varieties of reason, on the ground that all desire and grief and anger are judgments, while others declare that the virtues have to do with emotions, as when fear is the province of courage.

Gist of Idea

Some say emotion is a sort of reason, and others say virtue concerns emotion

Source

Plutarch (68: Generation of the soul in 'Timaeus' [c.85], 1025d)

Book Reference

Plutarch: 'Selected Essays and Dialogues', ed/tr. Russell,Donald [OUP 1993], p.247


A Reaction

The second idea comes from Aristotle, but the second is interesting, and corresponds to the views coming from modern neuroscience, where even the most basic thought seems to involve emotion. What could be the motivation for 'pure' reason?

Related Idea

Idea 20850 Passions are judgements; greed thinks money is honorable, and likewise drinking and lust [Chrysippus, by Diog. Laertius]