Emotion vs. Logic - TOK Essay

In our society today, expressing one’s emotions is thought of as showing weakness and vulnerability. When we hear the word “emotional”, we automatically connect it to “hysterical” or “irrational”. We understand that using our emotions to influence our thinking is wrong, that we should be more literal and rational; apparently, emotions get in the way of our ability to make the right decisions. The truth is we shouldn’t have to choose between being emotional and being rational. Although we think of them as polar opposites, they actually work best when we use them together. While emotion is the first place our brain goes when having to make a sudden decision, we tend to use a more rational approach when considering the long-term effects of the decision. Different situations require different ways of thinking, so instead of saying that thinking emotionally is wrong and thinking rationally is right, we need to realize that each can be useful in their own way.

An area of knowledge in which emotion is valued in the 21^st century is Art. Art doesn’t have to make sense, it can be messy and carefree, and it is used as a way to express our emotions. An area of knowledge in which logic is valued is Science. In science, there are strict formulas to follow, and no room for messing around. A person who wants to experiment with art can be emotional and it will make their art more powerful, but a person who wants to experiment with science must think rationally about what makes sense. However, logic does sometimes need to be considered when making art. An artist must think about whether it is logical to use certain mediums on certain surfaces, such as water colour paint on wood. They need to think about what will work and what won’t, regardless of how they feel about it. Also, to make a major breakthrough in scientific discoveries, a scientist must trust his emotions to achieve the results he is hoping for.

In conclusion, although our society seems to value rational thinking over emotional thinking, we can see that both are equally important to advance our knowledge in many different subjects. To make healthy decisions, we must listen to our hearts and our emotions, but also think rationally and use our heads. Overall, in the debate between logic and emotion, we should choose both.