Our emotions can affect the way we reach a certain conclusion. Although arguments that have to do with appealing to emotion may sound bad, the conclusions we make are greatly influenced by them. In my opinion, some cases of appealing to emotion may be a good thing. Of course in some cases, it can be a bad thing. Basically when we let our emotions merge into our thinking, we reach prescriptive conclusions which basically tells us what we should or should not do.
Appealing to emotion can negatively affect our prescriptive conclusion. For example, when a couple disagrees with each other, they may get into a fight. Depending on the couple, appealing to emotion can negatively affect them because they may fight endlessly (letting their anger take over them) which can lead to divorce ("I should break up with my spouse because I am very upset with him").
However, although it sounds ironic, it is good for couples to get into a fight because later on, couples may compromise. This is possible because of appealing to emotion. Even though the couple is fighting, their love for each other can make them realize that their fight is not really going anywhere. If the couple loves each other enough, they can also feel that fighting is pointless and only making their relationship worse. In other words, love can make a couple realize that their relationship is more important than whoever wins the argument ("I should try to compromise with my spouse because I still love him"). This is an example of an appealing to emotion because the couple may find that love (their affections and emotions towards each other) is more important than winning a fight. It also helps them understand each other's different views. In other words, a couple can also learn more about each other. This in return can also create a stronger bond for the couple because they would learn to live with each other even with fighting.
What I am trying to say is that appealing to emotion is not bad in general. They can make bad arguments, but in some cases, it may make positive prescriptive conclusions. In my opinion, it is only bad if you reach conclusions that are bad. Other than that, appealing to emotion can positively affect us. Refer to the example I gave about a couple fighting. I think the appealing to emotion is a huge part of a couple that may be fighting with each other. Couples who let negative emotions take over them may not end so well. In contrast, couples who let positive emotions take over them may result to a better solution. In this case, couples may even develop a stronger loving bond with each other.
- Pink Bean
I personally like the example you provided because it reminded me of the relationship I currently maintain with my girlfriend. At times we get into fights, and they can be fights about the most stupidest things in the world. Sometimes the fights get out of hand, and once they do we both become mad and sad. In the end, our emotions tell us (at least I think so) that we both do not want to fight and we just want to make up to keep the relationship to stand strong (which it is so far if you are wondering). Feelings influence me during these fights that the fight have to end somehow with some kind of solution. I can definitely agree with you though, sometimes using emotional influences can lead to bad arguments, but there are those times when they shed some light and lead to positive solutions. Just like a couple, they want to stay emotionally close and maintain that relationship which tells them to sort out the problem and be a happy couple again.
ReplyDelete