TRUSTING EMOTIONS IN THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE

Trusting Emotions in the Pursuit of Knowledge

How certain can a person be about trusting their emotions in the pursuit of knowledge?

In many topics related to the subject of history, science and theology, it is common for a person to trust their emotions when forming an opinion or a certain point of view. This is particularly true in the field of history where starkly contrasting and contradicting accounts of the same events are mainly the result of an emotional element involved in the pursuit of knowledge. To trust one's emotions is not the ideal approach when pursuing knowledge (Wilson, 1973). This is mainly because of the fact that an emotional element tends to taint the manner in which the observer perceives the available evidence that is critical to the correct interpretation of a historical event. Any of the innumerable historical events can be taken as a prime example in order to judge the emotional element involved in their interpretation (Wilson, 1973).

Owing to an emotional attachment to a given subject or area of discussion, an individual has a high likelihood of developing a bias that complements their own point of view. This would consequently also prompt them to select evidence that benefits their viewpoint (Solomon, 2004). As a vast pool of knowledge, history is more than simply an abstract collection of the records of past events. Rather, it takes into account evidence which essentially establishes when and where a particular event occurred, the chain of events that led to it, the people who were involved in the event, and the influence it had on the people involved (Solomon, 2004).

Emotion is that part of an individual's character that is made up of feelings. They play an integral role in the way and manner in which he pursues knowledge (Craik, 2007). For example, emotions such as sorrow, joy, fear, anxiety, trepidation, distrust and surprise are innate in humans and these assist humans in gaining knowledge about different subjects (Craik, 2007). A good example of how people trust their emotions when pursuing knowledge is the manner in which they interpret historical events such as wars (Craik, 2007). War is an ideal example of how emotions influence the viewpoint of the observer, particularly because of the fact that they are events that emotionally charge the individuals who are directly linked to it (Craik, 2007).

War is an emotionally charged event that incites the emotions of people, like pain, fear, misery, sorrow, hope, and loss among many others. Collectively, these emotions tend to make the minds of people unclear (Solomon, 2004). As a result, the manner in which they perceive reality is greatly influenced so that their interpretation becomes subjective and biased. As an integral and vast source of knowledge, history aids an individual in gaining a critical insight into a certain time period (Craik, 2007). For example, when travelling down the annals of history and recollecting the events that led to the Vietnam War, two starkly different accounts of the historical event ...