Rational and Emotional Ways of Thinking#
The way we think determines how we perceive the world. It is also the tool we use to understand and comprehend the world. Superficially, thinking can be divided into two categories: rational and emotional.
The concepts of "rational" and "emotional" are also dialectically related, as they both conflict with and depend on each other. Most people possess both ways of thinking, but they do not consciously differentiate between them when thinking about problems.
Rational Thinking#
Since the division of arts and sciences during our school days, students have been educated to think rationally in the field of science, while those in the humanities are encouraged to think emotionally. As students in the fields of science and technology, we heavily rely on rational thinking to understand and comprehend the world. This reliance on rational thinking is so strong that in Western films and television shows, mathematical and scientific geniuses are often associated with the stereotype of being nerds.
We generally advocate for rational thinking, emphasizing the importance of reasoning, logic, and specific analysis when dealing with issues. Compared to our innate ability for emotional thinking, rational thinking is a powerful method that we acquire later in life to analyze problems and understand the world. Every scientific discipline and every great mind is born out of rational thinking. Our education equips us with the powerful tool of rational thinking, although the degree to which individuals master this tool varies.
Rational thinking can help analyze emotional experiences, such as psychological analysis in psychology, although I believe this approach often leads to no significant results. Many people also believe that rational thinking can solve all problems, although this belief itself is emotional.
Rational thinking is known for its logic and objectivity, and anyone who possesses common sense is proficient in rational thinking.
Emotional Thinking#
Different from the acquired tool of rational thinking, emotional thinking can also be referred to as emotional experience. Similar to a child's desire for ice cream, there is no reason or method behind it; it is simply a subjective feeling.
When we are hungry, we want to eat; when we see something beautiful, we appreciate it; when we see something terrifying, we feel scared. All these undeniable emotional experiences stem from our evolved instincts.
While rational thinking is powerful, it cannot completely replace our emotional experiences. When we ride a roller coaster, for example, we are fully aware of our safety and the fact that it is just for entertainment, but we still feel the terrifying sensation of weightlessness when we drop. No matter how clear our rational thinking is, it cannot eliminate this fear. I would call this emotional experience brought about by fear "emotional thinking."
Some may argue that calling emotional experiences a form of "thinking" is inappropriate because, in conventional understanding, thinking is supposed to be logical. However, whether it is logical thinking or emotional experience, the ultimate conclusion or feeling is the result of brain activity. Emotional thinking often corresponds to human intuition, where subjective feelings arise directly without logical deduction. In the process of intuition, the subconscious mind completes the corresponding brain activity, which is simply an unconscious thinking process.
Simultaneous Occurrence of Emotional and Rational Thinking#
As mentioned earlier, emotional thinking and rational thinking are not independent of each other. Behind a person's emotional experience, there often follows a certain logical reasoning (otherwise, there would not be a field like psychoanalysis). Rational thinking does not suppress a person's emotional experience.
Typical examples of rationalism in film and television characters include Spock from "Star Trek" and Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory." In the development of these characters, there is often a portrayal of "even such rational individuals cannot abandon their emotional experiences." The emotional aspects of their characters are often depicted as "human nature" or "one side of being human."
Specifically, Spock's anger after the destruction of his home and his irrational behavior in love are still explained using his rational thinking tools. Sheldon's tantrums, seen by the audience as a childish side, are also amusingly justified by his rational thinking.
Therefore, the distinction made earlier between rational thinking and emotional thinking aims to clarify their differences rather than categorize them as opposing thought processes. Generally, when thinking about complex issues, it is impossible to think purely in terms of rationality or emotion.
The Issue of Rationality and Emotionality#
Just as there are different ways of thinking, there are also rational and emotional aspects to problems.
Rational problems are the most common, represented by all the mathematical and scientific problems we encounter during our school years. Objective and logical rational thinking provides us with answers to these problems, and the ability to solve such problems depends on our proficiency in rational thinking.
Gradually, we apply rational thinking to other complex aspects of the world, such as contemplating what makes a good person, how much money is enough, and what we truly desire. Through rational thinking, we can ultimately arrive at an answer that seems plausible but cannot be definitively determined. We define these answers as differences between individuals, and we hastily conclude the discussion of these problems by choosing the answer we believe in.
However, ultimately, these problems contain emotional elements that rational thinking cannot analyze or perceive. It is these emotional elements that make the answers to these problems subjective.
Emotional Problems#
If readers still believe that the previous problems can be easily answered through rational thinking and have not grasped the "emotional elements" I mentioned, then the following two questions that I often use as examples are purely emotional problems in my view. "What is the meaning of life? Or what kind of life should we live?" and "What is love?"
In my eyes, the nature of these two questions is similar. Firstly, the biggest difference between these questions and rational problems is that they never have a definitive answer. Each person may have a different answer to these questions, and that is why countless people have given their own interpretations throughout history.
However, regardless of the answers, the meaning of life is based on the emotional factors of "I am alive" and "I want to continue living." Humans do not exist in the world only after thinking about the meaning of life rationally. Therefore, I am more inclined towards existentialism and positive nihilism (the belief that life has no inherent meaning and that we give it meaning as living beings).
The question of what love is becomes even more emotional. Love is often just a feeling that cannot be defined from a rational perspective. Some people may rationally analyze love as a change in hormones, while others may analyze it as inseparable from material possessions. But ultimately, love is a subjective feeling, a purely emotional experience.
Using the Correct Tools when Thinking about Problems#
For example, when thinking about romantic relationships, many people excessively rely on rational thinking to analyze emotional problems, leading to incorrect conclusions. Many people in relationships ask each other a mysterious question, "Why do you love me?" This question is considered mysterious because love, as a subjective experience, cannot be fully explained through rationality. If we can truly find a correct, logical, and objective reason for love, then that feeling has nothing to do with love.
Similarly, when contemplating the meaning of life, no matter which logical philosophical thinking we adopt, we are easily led into the trap of nihilism, believing that life has no meaning. This is because the answers provided by rational thinking are often definitive, singular, and objective. However, the meaning of life is ultimately a highly subjective matter. As long as I believe it has meaning and as long as I continue to pursue life, it holds extraordinary meaning for me. Therefore, only by incorporating emotional thinking can we determine a personally accepted "correct answer" to this question.
Perhaps emotional problems never have a correct answer, but because of their emotional nature, one of the answers we believe in is the correct answer for us as individuals. Therefore, in such problems, we can greatly exercise our freedom of will and subjective feelings as human beings, rather than always seeking a rational thinking result.
Furthermore, there is often a saying in male-female relationships, "Don't argue with women using logic." This essentially represents the conflict between rational thinking and emotional thinking. People who are good at rational thinking are often good at problem-solving but are unaware of the reasons behind their actions, which ultimately stem from emotional factors. For example, resolving conflicts in a relationship is to better promote the relationship, and promoting the relationship is to better enjoy the love. Therefore, when dealing with such "problem-solving" situations, blindly relying on rationality and presenting facts goes against the emotional factors involved.
Therefore, when arguing with a partner, in addition to focusing on the logic and reasoning of the situation, it is also worth considering the emotional experiences and needs that arise from the conflict. After all, the ultimate goal of problem-solving is emotional.
In reality, it is difficult for me to explain to someone who has never been in a romantic relationship why people should fall in love or why they should invest in intimate relationships. Perhaps it is because such questions are often filled with emotional factors that cannot be fully answered through rational thinking. Even if I have a strong desire to be with someone, it has nothing to do with "why" or "how." From a realistic and objective perspective, I cannot provide a definitive answer through rational thinking.
Conclusion#
Therefore, when thinking about emotional problems, it is essential to follow our own inner feelings and seek our subjective experiences. If we are not good at recognizing our subjective experiences, we can try meditation to observe our inner selves or visit art galleries to enhance our ability to discern subjective experiences.
As someone who has always been influenced by the supremacy of rationalism, I used to completely overlook my own emotional experiences and needs, to the point where many problems seemed unsolvable, and even when my logic was consistent, something still felt off. The first time I read Zhu Guangqian's "On Beauty," I felt the emotional thinking that could lead to insights without logical reasoning. Since then, I have realized how important the humanities are to our suppressed inner selves.
Please do not neglect the emotional factors in the process of rational thinking. A person's ultimate happiness and fulfillment come from within, not the objective world.