Last week, I had a conversation with a few of my friends about the relationship between “reason” and “emotion” in a person’s life. Clearly, that relationship is a major theme in my novel, The Mustard Seed. The main character, Brian Raines, adopts a philosophy in which “Reason is the highest domain of the mind” which must always “stay on its throne and resist the emotions that swirl beneath it – ready to topple her at any moment… Feelings are a part of life – but they’re ultimately unreliable. And a life philosophy that is based on feelings is equally unreliable. What is reliable? Reason. Intelligence. Judgment. The power of the mind. The individual mind (Chapters 9, 12, and 13).”
Having said all that, I still “feel” the need to explain things a bit more. I certainly do not want to suggest that people should strive to eliminate their emotions. Even if that was the goal, it would be impossible to achieve. Quite simply, human beings live their lives through emotions: Joy, sadness, anger, confusion, peace, etc. Our inner world isn’t a set of mathematical equations; it is a rich tapestry of variable emotions. The question isn’t: How do we eliminate emotions? Rather, it’s “how do you create a mental state in which we feel the appropriate emotions – i.e., feeling “angry” when it’s appropriate to feel “angry;” feeling “sad” when it’s appropriate to feel “sad” – with the goal, of course (to the extent that it’s achievable), to maximize positive feelings, and minimize negative emotions.
In my humble opinion, that is where “reason” comes in. Reason creates a mental framework for disciplining and enriching our emotions. By keeping us focused on “Reality” and “mastering Reality,” prizing reason – rather than whatever “we feel” at any given moment – is the key to personal happiness and success, and helps avoid the pitfalls of emotionalism, mysticism, and blind faith.
I created an analogy that I’d like to try out on you: Imagine a place to live. Emotions are the fabric of life. Therefore, they are like furniture and other “stuff” you’d find in any common home. They come in various qualities and quantities – and each room has its own theme, and even the rooms themselves may change from time to time. So where does reason fit into this scheme? Reason is the foundation; the actual architecture of the home – the steel, wood, brick, and mortar. It creates a safe, solid place to experience emotion.
Having said all that, I still “feel” the need to explain things a bit more. I certainly do not want to suggest that people should strive to eliminate their emotions. Even if that was the goal, it would be impossible to achieve. Quite simply, human beings live their lives through emotions: Joy, sadness, anger, confusion, peace, etc. Our inner world isn’t a set of mathematical equations; it is a rich tapestry of variable emotions. The question isn’t: How do we eliminate emotions? Rather, it’s “how do you create a mental state in which we feel the appropriate emotions – i.e., feeling “angry” when it’s appropriate to feel “angry;” feeling “sad” when it’s appropriate to feel “sad” – with the goal, of course (to the extent that it’s achievable), to maximize positive feelings, and minimize negative emotions.
In my humble opinion, that is where “reason” comes in. Reason creates a mental framework for disciplining and enriching our emotions. By keeping us focused on “Reality” and “mastering Reality,” prizing reason – rather than whatever “we feel” at any given moment – is the key to personal happiness and success, and helps avoid the pitfalls of emotionalism, mysticism, and blind faith.
I created an analogy that I’d like to try out on you: Imagine a place to live. Emotions are the fabric of life. Therefore, they are like furniture and other “stuff” you’d find in any common home. They come in various qualities and quantities – and each room has its own theme, and even the rooms themselves may change from time to time. So where does reason fit into this scheme? Reason is the foundation; the actual architecture of the home – the steel, wood, brick, and mortar. It creates a safe, solid place to experience emotion.
A person who deliberately stunts their reason is like a homeless person – they might own valuable “stuff,” but without an actual house to put them in, their ability to accumulate stuff – especially good stuff – is very limited. Furthermore, when a storm comes, they are vulnerable to losing their “stuff.” Especially when it comes to matters of faith, a powerful “emotional storm” (like the death of a friend) can destroy all of your “stuff” and leave you literally with nothing.
Only an actual house – reason – can provide a safe place for faith – true faith – in the 21st century.
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