Single Idea 23971

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

Full Idea

Emotions are not based on syllogistic reasoning ….but the thoughts involved in an emotion can show it to be intelligible, intelligibility being a thinner notion than rationality.

Gist of Idea

Emotional thought is not rational, but it can be intelligible

Source

Peter Goldie (The Emotions [2000], 1 Intro)

Book Reference

Goldie,Peter: 'The Emotions' [OUP 2002], p.13


A Reaction

A nice distinction. The emotion is the best explanation. Compare 'intuition' and 'sensible' behaviour as also intelligible. An obvious problem is that if a person runs amok because they have a brain tumour, that is intelligible, but in no way rational.