Human Feelings and Reason Throughout History
Human Feelings and Reason: A Historical Perspective
We could oppose them with reason or simply explain their ability to move and motivate us to act. Aristotle said that man was “willing or desiring intelligent intelligence,” thus indicating that reason is his way to choose between the different desires that he feels. The intellect is responsible for choosing the right desire, the most appropriate, through a deliberative process. The man who carries out this process properly has the virtue of prudence.
Early Christianity and St. Augustine
For early Christianity, notably St. Augustine of Hippo, the most important feeling was loving philosophy. According to Augustine, whoever discovers true love, and does not leave it, cannot do anything contrary to love. In this way, the man seeks a love affair, even over the development of reason, in order to resemble his creator and meet him.
The Philosophers of Moral Sentiment
Back in the eighteenth century, particularly influential were the “philosophers of moral sentiment,” such as Adam Smith and his moral sympathies. These philosophers argued that human beings have very similar feelings in the same situations. Thus, a community of feeling (sympathy) is formed, which is the basis for judgments and moral judgments.
David Hume on Passions
According to the Scotsman David Hume, reason is incapable of motivating behavior, unlike the passions that motivate people to act. The passions can be differentiated between peaceful and violent (emotional outbursts). If we act with a gentle passion, we have the impression that we act according to reason, but in fact, our reason is a slave of our passions.
Kant and Respect as a Moral Sentiment
For his part, Kant believed that reason itself is able to move our will, but he recognized the existence of respect as a moral sentiment.
20th Century: Xavier Zubiri
In the twentieth century, Xavier Zubiri attributed to beings…
We could oppose them with reason or simply explain their ability to move and motivate us to act. Aristotle said that man was “willing or desiring intelligent intelligence,” thus indicating that reason directs the choice between the different desires that are felt. The intellect is responsible for choosing the right desire, the most appropriate, through a deliberative process. The man who carries out this process properly has the virtue of prudence.
Early Christianity and St. Augustine
For early Christianity, notably St. Augustine of Hippo, the most important feeling was loving philosophy. According to Augustine, whoever discovers true love, and does not leave him, can do nothing contrary to love. In this way, the man seeks the passion of love, even over the development of reason, to look like his creator and meet him.
The Philosophers of Moral Sentiment
Already in the eighteenth century, particularly influential were the “philosophers of moral sentiment,” such as Adam Smith and his moral sympathy. These philosophers argued that human beings have very similar feelings in the same situations. Thus, a community of feeling (sympathy) is formed, which is the basis for judgments and moral judgments.
David Hume on Passions
According to the Scot David Hume, reason is incapable of motivating behavior, as opposed to the passions that motivate people to act. The passions can be differentiated between peaceful and violent (emotional outbursts). If we act with a gentle passion, we have the impression that we act according to reason, but in fact, our reason is a slave of our passions.
Kant and Respect as a Moral Sentiment
For his part, Kant believed that reason itself is able to move our will, but he recognized the existence of respect as a moral sentiment.
20th Century: Xavier Zubiri
In the twentieth century, Xavier Zubiri attributed to beings…