Emotions and intelligence

[Gaze]

So, what do you think is the link between intelligence and emotions, if there is one.

It seems for a centuries, there's been this assumed correlation between emotions and intelligence. It's often believed or assumed that the more emotional someone is, the less intelligent or irrational or reasoned they are or will be. This assumes that when decisions are determined by emotions or influenced by emotions, that we are not using our intelligence, and so the results are decisions with less consideration for logical effect or consequences. Sometimes, what someone says may be dismissed because they are labeled as being 'too emotional' when maybe those emotions are the basis for their intellect. The result is a belief that someone is not thinking clearly if they are being influenced by their emotions.

 

[Nixie]

I will have to start and be a bit nit picky in your word choice. I think "intelligence" is a broad term that doesn't fit the parameters of what you are talking aout here. Perhaps a better word to use would be logic--which implies the use of rational thought normally without emotional influence.

I don't think we every really make a truely emotional or rational decision, but rather delude ourselves into thinking we do. We can appear emotional when we make a decison. We can weigh the evidence in favor of our emotions over logic too. However, there is a logically process involved in the decision making process. The same is true for a logical response. We can appear to be making a logical choice without emotional influence. However, those emotional influences will always be there. Unless you have some serious mental problems, no one can compartmentalize to the nth degree like that.

I believe in four aspects of being: Physcial, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual. They are all interelated and things we have to work at balancing in our lives.

I think what you are refering to is the probably related to societies shift toward a more scientific way of seeing the world. A "shrugging off'" of our more "primative" selves in favor of a more "enlightened" state of being.