A Balance Between Logic and Emotion
Over the course of my education and training, I have heard the adage, “It is logic which makes us human.” And often, the teacher of this view proceeds to vilify emotion as if it is something we must conquer, because logic is what “distinguishes us from animals.”
However, having known many logical animals, and many not-so-logical humans, I have questioned this a lot. And while logic is a tool we use as humans, emotions are too. In fact, studies have shown that our emotions help us make better decisions and help us process the many bits of information with which we are bombarded. Emotions such as love, pride, happiness, fulfillment, generosity give our lives purpose and meaning. Perhaps instead of conquering and repressing emotions, we should seek to understand them. We need to be, literally, “emotionally intelligent.”
So what *does* make us human? My daughter noted that humans are the only species that cooks. Maybe it’s that.