Emotional Intelligence the Rapprochement of Reason and...

The past few decades have seen increasing interest in emotion research. Although much remains to be learned, agreement is beginning to emerge regarding the way emotion should be viewed. Emotions provide a unique source of information for individuals about their environment, which informs and shapes their thoughts, actions, and subsequent feelings, and there is a growing view that emotion information can be used more or less intelligently. A notion central to emotional intelligence theory is that individuals differ in their ability to perceive, understand and use emotional information, and this ability significantly contributes to intellectual and emotional well-being and growth. Emotional intelligence as a concept has prospered, in†¦show more content†¦The stoic philosophers of ancient Greece argued that the idiosyncratic nature of emotion rendered it incapable of contributing to insight and wisdom. Similar views continued to dominate academic thinking into the Renaissance period of 16th and 17th centuries of Europe. Descartes (1595-1650) argued that an emotion is one type of passion, where the passions are distinguished from clear cognition, and render judgment confused and obscure (1649/1989). Kant (1724-1804) further reinforced the distinction between reason on the one hand, and emotions, moods and desires, which he termed the inclinations, on the other. He dismissed the inclinations as inessential to reason at best and intrusive and disruptive at worst (1793/1953). Later however, philosophers belonging to the Romantic movement of Europes late 18th and early 19th century began to argue that logic alone could not deliver the breadth of insights that were possible when empathy and emotion-guided intuition were incorporated into their thinking (Solomon, 2000). This shift in thinking is often attributed to the philosophy of David Hume. Hume (1739/1948) argued that reason was in essence a tool of emotion. In his view, the sole function of reason was to interpret the world in terms of facts in order to form inferences useful in achieving the agendas set by emotion. Empirical evidence as to the functional purpose of emotion was only establishedShow MoreRelated Emotional intelligence: The rapprochement of reason and emotion5515 Words   |  23 Pagesdecades have seen increasing interest in emotion research. Although much remains to be learned, agreement is beginning to emerge regarding the way emotion should be viewed. Emotions provide a unique source of information for individuals about their environment, which informs and shapes their thoughts, actions, and subsequent feelings, and there is a growing view that emotion information can be used more or less intelligently. A notion central to emotional intelligence theory is that individuals differ inRead More Fernando, 16, Finds a Sanctuary in Crime Essay3380 Words   |  14 Pagesthat risk for crime behavior is worsened by poverty and lack of positive influences like a loving father, good neighbors or a teacher willing to reach out to the troubled child. (Barnet Barnet,1998). A stable social en vironment gives the child the emotional security he requires, especially when he begins to explore his world (Lederer, 2010). Fernando lacked a stable social upbringing and received an early exposure to violence through physical abuse from his father and witnessing events like uncle hittingRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagespolitical, and religious resistance to colonial hegemony cannot be underestimated. What we discover in this book is that there is nothing absurd or farfetched or insane about Rastafarianism. Its formation is part of the genius of an anticolonial intelligence married to a strong nationalist sensibility. What is clear is that Rastafarianism is one of the most complex and insightful reactions to colonialism and the oppression of blacks that has emerged in the last hundred years. Rastafari: From Outcasts