Emotions, Dignity, and Human Capabilities
Emotions as Value Judgments
Emotions are intentional and always directed towards an object. This object is perceived in the context of the emotion as experienced by the individual. The way we perceive the object of an emotion involves beliefs about it, and these beliefs can differentiate types of emotions. Analysis suggests that emotions arise when we perceive an object as valuable or important to our well-being. This doesn’t imply that emotions are inherently selfish; rather, when we encounter objects in the world that hold value, our emotions focus on those that are significant to us.
From this perspective, beliefs are not just necessary elements of emotions, but integral parts of them. They are essential to the identity and differentiation of emotions. If this perspective is accurate, there is no inherent conflict between emotion and reason, or between our rational and emotional selves. Desires, emotions, and feelings would be value judgments and beliefs of a specific kind, capable of directing and modulating the energy within us that drives us to live more fully and completely.
The Concept of Dignity
Historically, the concept of dignity wasn’t universally applied. Some individuals were deemed more worthy of dignity than others, often based on perceived excellence. Later, the Christian concept emerged, asserting that all humans are equal in dignity as children of God, possessing intrinsic value deserving respect. In modern times, the basis for dignity shifted from divine lineage to the possession of reason, enabling us to understand and follow moral law.
Today, dignity is considered inherent to all human beings, regardless of social, economic, or other factors, simply by virtue of being born with reason.
Is it Worthy to Human Nature?
The capacity for rational thought alone may not be sufficient to attribute dignity to humans. Human dignity seems linked to a way of life, a way of acting. Some argue that this lifestyle requires moral effort, while others believe that a dignified life is not far removed from our natural tendencies.
Capabilities Approach
The capabilities approach posits that humans are defined not only by their capacity for rational thought and action, but also by their ability to live a fulfilling life characterized by essential human capabilities. Let’s examine these conditions that confer dignity:
- Life, Health, and Bodily Integrity: A natural aversion to death and a desire for a normal lifespan.
- Senses, Imagination, Thought, and Emotions: Perceiving the world through our senses, imagining, making distinctions, and seeking understanding.
- Affiliation, Play, and Nature: Recognizing and interacting with others, empathizing, experiencing joy and play, and maintaining a positive relationship with the natural world.
- Control Over One’s Environment: Influencing our surroundings, both politically and materially.
Opposition Right-Passion
Two primary classes of mental processes can be distinguished: rational processes (e.g., thinking, remembering, judging) and irrational processes (e.g., desires, emotions, feelings). Rational processes are characterized by conscious choice and reason-based decision-making, while irrational processes are not perceived as chosen by the self.
Traditionally, the first class has been associated with reason, and the second with passion. It was believed that both were driven by forces, with passion often pulling in the opposite direction of reason. This internal struggle between reason and passion was seen as a defining feature of human existence.
To address this, we need to challenge the traditional belief in two opposing forces within us.
The Power of the Mind
According to the Stoics, all animals have a tendency to seek self-preservation and avoid harm. Max Scheller observed this fundamental drive even in plants, as they orient themselves towards light or moisture. Humans also possess this drive, but it manifests not just in survival, but in striving for a fuller and more perfect life.
Spinoza described love as the joy accompanied by the idea of its external cause. Believing in things that inspire us, imagining a better world, and striving for justice are all driven by love, indignation, and joy. These are not opposing forces, but a single energy that diversifies into desires, emotions, and feelings, which may sometimes conflict.
Desires, Affects, and Feelings
- Desire: The orientation of mental energy towards an object.
- Affect: A temporary mood or emotional state.
- Feeling: A less intense and more enduring mood than affect.
Desires, affects, and feelings share common features: they are not perceived as chosen by the self and they motivate us to act.
Emotions as Value Judgments
Emotions are intentional, directed towards an object, and shaped by our beliefs about that object. These beliefs differentiate types of emotions. Emotions often arise when we perceive an object as valuable or important to our well-being. This doesn’t imply that emotions are inherently selfish; rather, when we encounter objects in the world that hold value, our emotions focus on those that are significant to us.
From this perspective, beliefs are not just necessary elements of emotions, but integral parts of them. They are essential to the identity and differentiation of emotions. If this perspective is accurate, there is no inherent conflict between emotion and reason, or between our rational and emotional selves. Desires, emotions, and feelings would be value judgments and beliefs of a specific kind, capable of directing and modulating the energy within us that drives us to live more fully and completely.
The Concept of Dignity
Historically, the concept of dignity wasn’t universally applied. Some individuals were deemed more worthy of dignity than others, often based on perceived excellence. Later, the Christian concept emerged, asserting that all humans are equal in dignity as children of God, possessing intrinsic value deserving respect. In modern times, the basis for dignity shifted from divine lineage to the possession of reason, enabling us to understand and follow moral law.
Today, dignity is considered inherent to all human beings, regardless of social, economic, or other factors, simply by virtue of being born with reason.
Is it Worthy to Human Nature?
The capacity for rational thought alone may not be sufficient to attribute dignity to humans. Human dignity seems linked to a way of life, a way of acting. Some argue that this lifestyle requires moral effort, while others believe that a dignified life is not far removed from our natural tendencies.
Capabilities Approach
The capabilities approach posits that humans are defined not only by their capacity for rational thought and action, but also by their ability to live a fulfilling life characterized by essential human capabilities. Let’s examine these conditions that confer dignity:
- Life, Health, and Bodily Integrity: A natural aversion to death and a desire for a normal lifespan.
- Senses, Imagination, Thought, and Emotions: Perceiving the world through our senses, imagining, making distinctions, and seeking understanding.
- Affiliation, Play, and Nature: Recognizing and interacting with others, empathizing, experiencing joy and play, and maintaining a positive relationship with the natural world.
- Control Over One’s Environment: Influencing our surroundings, both politically and materially.