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In order to explain and understand emotions, we can divide them into two groups: The emotions we term 'positive' and those that we term 'negative'. On this issue, there are two major claims that appear to be contradictory: (a) that negative emotions are more noticeable, and (b) that, because people typically consider themselves to be happy, the average person considers herself to be happier than the average person. How can this apparent paradox explained? Read More
Interesting
Negative and positive emotions are equally important to species survival and individual self preservation.
Very well argued and I like how you brought in both Spinoza and Descartes into the argument. Howeve, I think though that in psychology we must break concepts down to their constituent parts, except say, for the Gestalt line of thinking and that in philosophy these thought experiments are wonderful illustrations, we miss something when thinking and arguing in such reductionist terms. Like the nurture-nature debate truly being a largely obsolete argument, so too is the debate over positive versus negative emotions in the psychological sense. Not that we should not study empirically and statistically I might add the nature and the consequences of both emotional types, but rather, we should realize it is truly the synergistic and antithetical nature of both that drives our survival and ability to thrive. Though with several obvious flaws outside the scope of this respectful response post, evolutionary psychology, sociobiology, cognitive systems bio-psychology, and social psychology sheds much light on the subject of adoption, adaptation, assimilation, and accomodation in full functional terms. Love and hate for example, before I seem too off the beaten path here, both serve as grand motivators and manifestations of underlying personality and one person's hate is another person's love and vice versa, yet they both help ensure survival of the species and the individual.
I really enjoyed readin your argument.
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