The focus of this paper will lie on the relationship between affect and rationality, as described by Barrett. More specifically, I am going to discuss whether it is plausible to believe that affect subjugates rationality. My goal is to show that it indeed is credible to believe that there is necessarily a dependency between affect and rationality.
To argue for this, I will proceed as follows: First, I will give an overview on Barrett’s emotion-theory in chapter two. Then, I will concentrate on the term 'affect' in chapter three. I will dis-cuss what affect means, where Barrett places it in her theory and what consequences we (may) derive from it. For these two parts I will focus on the fourth chapter ("The Origin of Feeling") of her book "How Emotions Are Made" (2018) because she outlines the main idea of her proposal here. Accordingly, the first part of this paper is mainly reconstructive and about identifying the underlying beliefs that lead Barrett to her assumptions.
Outlining the consequences of affect will lead over to the critical approach to Barrett’s claims: In this step, I will explain why and how affect’s consequences connect to a person’s capability of rationality. To discuss the plausibility of the made assumptions I will attend to the model homo economicus in chapter four and five. Thereby I will focus on the definition(s) of rationality used in connection with this model and discuss the model in context with Barrett's theory.
I chose homo economicus because Barrett herself argues against it. I am also interested in examining homo economicus because I want to know whether Barrett is justified in rejecting the model. Finally, I will draw a conclusion based on the acquired information in this paper in chapter six. In this conclusion I will elaborate whether I was successful in arguing for the plausibility of a necessary dependency between affect and rationality.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Barrett’s emotion theory: Interoception
3. Affect, its role in interoception and its consequences
4. Is affect an opponent of rationality?
5. Does affect contribute to rationality?
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the relationship between affect and rationality based on Lisa Feldman Barrett’s theory of interoception, specifically investigating whether affect necessarily subjugates or undermines rational decision-making processes.
- The theoretical foundation of interoception and the generation of affect.
- The phenomenon of "affective realism" and its impact on human perception.
- A critical analysis of the homo economicus model regarding its assumption of rationality.
- The potential for affect to contribute to or distort rational processes.
- Strategies for managing affective influence through emotion-differentiation skills.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
“You are your brain” (Barrett 2018: 60) is a statement given by Lisa Feldman Barrett; however, she is neither the first nor the only to make this claim. Like many scientists nowadays, she believes the brain to be essential for what makes us human. Her brain research particularly focuses on what emotions are and where they originate from. In How Emotions Are Made (2018) she proposes a theory on how and why the brain creates them. With this she introduces the term ‘affect’ which refers to human feelings, but a different type of feelings than emotions.
Barrett’s explanation of what affect is has sparked my interest. She describes affect as the “general sense of feeling that you experience throughout each day” (Barrett 2018: 72). According to her, affect constantly influences a person’s perception, behaviour and thinking, regardless of whether the person is conscious of it or not. Furthermore, affect is not influenced by the environment, but the person’s perception of the environment depends on the persons’s affect. Therefore, affect has consequences: People being unaware of it or misinterpreting it are likely to be misled. They confuse their affect with information about the world (cf. Barrett 2018: 72ff.). As a result, a person “cannot overcome emotion through rational thinking” (Barrett 2018: 81).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the core concepts of Barrett’s emotion theory and sets the research focus on the relationship between affect and rationality.
2. Barrett’s emotion theory: Interoception: Explains how the brain makes predictions via interoception to maintain bodily functions and construct the individual's experience of the world.
3. Affect, its role in interoception and its consequences: Details how interoception produces affect—defined by valence and arousal—and how the misinterpretation of these feelings leads to "affective realism."
4. Is affect an opponent of rationality?: Critically analyzes the homo economicus model and argues that while Barrett's theory challenges classical definitions of rationality, it does not necessarily render rationality impossible.
5. Does affect contribute to rationality?: Explores alternative models where feelings are integrated into decision-making, suggesting that affect can both benefit and hinder the rational process.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes that affect influences rationality deeply, and suggests that developing emotion-differentiation skills is essential to mitigate the risks posed by affective realism.
Keywords
Affect, Rationality, Interoception, Barrett, Homo Economicus, Affective Realism, Emotion, Prediction, Consciousness, Decision-making, Valence, Arousal, Rational Choice Theory, Emotion-differentiation, Perception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores whether human affect, as described by Lisa Feldman Barrett, fundamentally undermines or subjugates a person's ability to act rationally.
What are the central thematic fields?
The primary fields are cognitive psychology, specifically Barrett's theory of interoception, and philosophical debates surrounding the rationality of human behavior, often contrasted with economic models.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine if the existence of affect and its influence on perception makes the concept of a rational actor implausible or if it simply necessitates a redefinition of rationality.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The work uses a reconstructive and critical analysis approach, comparing Barrett’s psychological theory with established economic models of human behavior like homo economicus.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections discuss the neurological basis of interoception, the mechanism of affective realism, and the tension between traditional economic views of egoistic rationality and psychological insights into human feelings.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The study is characterized by terms such as affect, interoception, affective realism, rationality, and emotion-differentiation.
How does the author define "affective realism"?
Affective realism occurs when a person mistakes bodily sensations generated by interoception for objective evidence or information about the outside world.
What solution does the author propose to handle affective influence?
The author suggests that individuals should develop "emotion-differentiation skills" to better understand the origins of their feelings, thereby reducing the likelihood of faulty rational processes caused by affective realism.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kim Ann Woodley (Autor:in), 2020, The Relationship Between Affect and Rationality According to Lisa Feldman Barrett, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/911127
