Emotions' Role
Avant-garde Philosopher
Rob Selle
Issue date: 6/17/09 Section: Opinion
Emotions play an important role in our everyday lives. They elicit passion to better our existence, laughter to brighten our mood, and compassion to facilitate a peaceful co-existence with others. Inspiration and the desire for progress have spurred scientific exploration, but it is the very emotions that inspire scientific exploration that the scientific method seeks to eliminate. Emotions are unreliable and subjective, and they play no useful role in the scientific method and mankind's attempt to accurately explain our surroundings.
Science has improved tremendously over thousands of years. Through failures, misconceptions, and increased understanding of human nature, the scientific method has evolved into a well-oiled machine that produces a working model to explain our existence. The purpose of this method of inquiry is to correctly compensate for mankind's many flawed perceptions and gain a factual perception of reality. The method starts by stating a hypothesis that is able to be tested or falsified. Scientific tests vary based on what is being tested, but generally seek to find a causal relationship between two events or explain an observed event. Before a conclusion is reached, the test must have been constructed in a manner that rules out all explanations except for the variable of interest and multiple tests under the same conditions must produce the same result. Tests are painstaking and the utmost care is taken to ensure that the results are indeed reality. When a hypothesis seems true, further research is conducted to verify the results and the hypothesis forms into a theory that is required to make predictions for the future. This method ensures that all possible steps are taken to reduce the fallacy of human senses.
Rene' Descartes is famous for illustrating the fallacy of human senses in his book Discourse on the Method published in 1637. Descartes leads the reader through a line of reasoning by first acknowledging that all of our senses, including our mental perceptions and emotions, are flawed. By starting with this premise, he effectively ruled out the possibility that our human weaknesses will interfere with the ability to find truth. This famous reasoning led to the popular phrase, "I think therefore I am," and is widely believed to be the major influence for the origin of the scientific method. In order for a method of inquiry to be considered scientific, it must gather observable, testable, and measureable objective data through observation and experimentation. Emotions, while useful in other areas of life, are subjective, and, due to their inconsistent and personal nature, they can lead to serious misconceptions about reality. To be clear, emotions can be measured and objectively tested. The fields of psychology, psychiatry, biology, and chemistry, among others, have studied and quantified emotions, their origins, and their effects. But emotions must not be used in a scientific method to make conclusions about reality. So, while emotions can be scientifically tested, scientific tests cannot rely on emotions on any level.
A perfect example of an emotional misconception about reality is happening today. Recently Jenny McCarthy, an American model, actress, and recent author, has been highlighted in the media for her activism against child vaccinations. When her son Evan was diagnosed as having autism, McCarthy began blaming vaccines as the cause for her child's condition. Her book Louder than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism came out in 2007 and is the cause of much needless controversy. Initially, the anti-vaccination movement claimed that a chemical called thimerosal, a preservative in vaccines, was causing a rise in the autism rate. The chemical was removed from vaccines and, as further research was conducted, the scientific community found that the autism rate did not decrease as a result of removing the chemical. In fact, the change in autism rates stems from better diagnostic techniques and documentation and no correlation has been found between vaccines or the chemicals in vaccines and autism. In frequent interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Larry King, McCarthy and her boyfriend Jim Carey spoke emotionally about the issue, stating that McCarthy's "mommy instinct" was proof enough that vaccines cause autism. This is a perfect example of how emotions can distort reality. After numerous studies finding no causal relationship between vaccines and autism, McCarthy continues to let emotions distort her view of reality in an attempt to explain her tragic situation.
One of the major problems with emotions is that they create bias. An inclination that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question allows no room for impartiality and an honest evaluation of facts. There are many factors that can manipulate our emotions, predisposing one to reach the wrong conclusion, and creating a situation in which an unreliable source for knowledge is relied upon to find the truth. In Jenny McCarthy's case, seeing her son struggle with a disability is no doubt a heart-breaking experience. Experience can manipulate emotions so easily and emotional reactions to experience can vary so greatly among different people so emotions cannot be trusted to produce an accurate perception of reality. Psychological or emotional bias can skew data to support a conclusion that is convenient or comforting, but ultimately wrong.
Why is this relevant? While many areas of science simply seek to understand our existence, science fuels many improvements in every day life. If the scientific method allowed anything less than the highest standard for data, our world would be a dangerous place. Would you trust your surgeon's feelings? Jenny McCarthy does not understand that by allowing her emotions to override critical thinking and reason, she is encouraging thousands of parents to neglect their children's health, and that places a serious societal health risk on her shoulders.
When forming a factual perception of reality, mankind's flawed senses, emotions, and thoughts need to be eliminated in order to form the most objective paradigm as possible. Emotions create biased subjective conclusions that, at best, lead to false conclusions, and, at worst, cause suffering and death. In the flood of information that bombards our society, one must have the same high standards that are required in the scientific method, not only for a personal goal of enlightenment, but for protection against dangerous pseudoscientific movements that rely on flawed human emotions. Certainly, one's emotions, flawed and biased as they are, should at least confirm this simple truth.
The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily express the views of the Avant-garde Philosophers Society.
The Avant-garde Philosophers' Society is an SLCC student club whose mission is to promote a genuinely examined life while applying an evolving understanding of the Philosophical Good as active agents engaged with the community.
Science has improved tremendously over thousands of years. Through failures, misconceptions, and increased understanding of human nature, the scientific method has evolved into a well-oiled machine that produces a working model to explain our existence. The purpose of this method of inquiry is to correctly compensate for mankind's many flawed perceptions and gain a factual perception of reality. The method starts by stating a hypothesis that is able to be tested or falsified. Scientific tests vary based on what is being tested, but generally seek to find a causal relationship between two events or explain an observed event. Before a conclusion is reached, the test must have been constructed in a manner that rules out all explanations except for the variable of interest and multiple tests under the same conditions must produce the same result. Tests are painstaking and the utmost care is taken to ensure that the results are indeed reality. When a hypothesis seems true, further research is conducted to verify the results and the hypothesis forms into a theory that is required to make predictions for the future. This method ensures that all possible steps are taken to reduce the fallacy of human senses.
Rene' Descartes is famous for illustrating the fallacy of human senses in his book Discourse on the Method published in 1637. Descartes leads the reader through a line of reasoning by first acknowledging that all of our senses, including our mental perceptions and emotions, are flawed. By starting with this premise, he effectively ruled out the possibility that our human weaknesses will interfere with the ability to find truth. This famous reasoning led to the popular phrase, "I think therefore I am," and is widely believed to be the major influence for the origin of the scientific method. In order for a method of inquiry to be considered scientific, it must gather observable, testable, and measureable objective data through observation and experimentation. Emotions, while useful in other areas of life, are subjective, and, due to their inconsistent and personal nature, they can lead to serious misconceptions about reality. To be clear, emotions can be measured and objectively tested. The fields of psychology, psychiatry, biology, and chemistry, among others, have studied and quantified emotions, their origins, and their effects. But emotions must not be used in a scientific method to make conclusions about reality. So, while emotions can be scientifically tested, scientific tests cannot rely on emotions on any level.
A perfect example of an emotional misconception about reality is happening today. Recently Jenny McCarthy, an American model, actress, and recent author, has been highlighted in the media for her activism against child vaccinations. When her son Evan was diagnosed as having autism, McCarthy began blaming vaccines as the cause for her child's condition. Her book Louder than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism came out in 2007 and is the cause of much needless controversy. Initially, the anti-vaccination movement claimed that a chemical called thimerosal, a preservative in vaccines, was causing a rise in the autism rate. The chemical was removed from vaccines and, as further research was conducted, the scientific community found that the autism rate did not decrease as a result of removing the chemical. In fact, the change in autism rates stems from better diagnostic techniques and documentation and no correlation has been found between vaccines or the chemicals in vaccines and autism. In frequent interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Larry King, McCarthy and her boyfriend Jim Carey spoke emotionally about the issue, stating that McCarthy's "mommy instinct" was proof enough that vaccines cause autism. This is a perfect example of how emotions can distort reality. After numerous studies finding no causal relationship between vaccines and autism, McCarthy continues to let emotions distort her view of reality in an attempt to explain her tragic situation.
One of the major problems with emotions is that they create bias. An inclination that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question allows no room for impartiality and an honest evaluation of facts. There are many factors that can manipulate our emotions, predisposing one to reach the wrong conclusion, and creating a situation in which an unreliable source for knowledge is relied upon to find the truth. In Jenny McCarthy's case, seeing her son struggle with a disability is no doubt a heart-breaking experience. Experience can manipulate emotions so easily and emotional reactions to experience can vary so greatly among different people so emotions cannot be trusted to produce an accurate perception of reality. Psychological or emotional bias can skew data to support a conclusion that is convenient or comforting, but ultimately wrong.
Why is this relevant? While many areas of science simply seek to understand our existence, science fuels many improvements in every day life. If the scientific method allowed anything less than the highest standard for data, our world would be a dangerous place. Would you trust your surgeon's feelings? Jenny McCarthy does not understand that by allowing her emotions to override critical thinking and reason, she is encouraging thousands of parents to neglect their children's health, and that places a serious societal health risk on her shoulders.
When forming a factual perception of reality, mankind's flawed senses, emotions, and thoughts need to be eliminated in order to form the most objective paradigm as possible. Emotions create biased subjective conclusions that, at best, lead to false conclusions, and, at worst, cause suffering and death. In the flood of information that bombards our society, one must have the same high standards that are required in the scientific method, not only for a personal goal of enlightenment, but for protection against dangerous pseudoscientific movements that rely on flawed human emotions. Certainly, one's emotions, flawed and biased as they are, should at least confirm this simple truth.
The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily express the views of the Avant-garde Philosophers Society.
The Avant-garde Philosophers' Society is an SLCC student club whose mission is to promote a genuinely examined life while applying an evolving understanding of the Philosophical Good as active agents engaged with the community.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
M Hirzel
Mary Hirzel
posted 6/18/09 @ 2:38 PM MST
Dear Young Mr. Selle,
Sounds good..... But, no points or knowing what you're talking about.
Just for a beginning, start here:
What Do Those Vaccine Studies Actually Say?
Part I
http://www. (Continued…)
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