• La Civiltà Cattolica
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
No Result
View All Result
     
Home 1701

Emotion and Reason: A Potential Dialogue

Giovanni Cucci, SJbyGiovanni Cucci, SJ
February 10, 2017
in 1701, Edition, Embracing Our Humanity, Faith, INCULTURATION IN ASIA AND REFORM OF THE CHURCH, People, Spirituality
0
Emotion and Reason: A Potential Dialogue
0
SHARES
49
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Emotions and reason in dialogue

A previous article demonstrated how the relationship between reason and emotions (and by this term I refer to a complex world known by different names: passions; sentiments; affections) is not a simple one but, at the same time, cannot be conceived in terms of antithetical opposition.[1] Pleasure and moral good are only contrasting in a dualistic ethic, which comes with a high price.[2] In fact, in the perspective prior to modernity, the relationship passions/reason was understood in a bi-directional manner, that is, being of mutual influence one to the other, rather, of mutual aid for recognizing and doing the good.[3]

The passions that rise from sensibility influence the intellect and one’s judgment of things, but others find their origin in the intellectual evaluation: these are the so-called “passions of the soul,” of which anger is an emblematic example.[4] Bringing this to light means denying modern anthropological dualism because, the passions, themselves, have to do with both the body and the soul and, therefore, are of reciprocal influence, allowing or impeding the accomplishment of the good.

Emotions and reason, therefore, are not constitutionally enemies; they can become such, but they can also be of mutual aid. The emotions make decisions of the will more intense and stronger so as to overcome difficulties and obstacles in doing the good, in order to live in a full, integral and constant manner characteristic of the life of virtue: “The movement of virtue, which consists in a perfect act of will, cannot be had without any passion, not because the act of will depends upon the passion, but because in a nature subject to passion a passion necessarily follows upon a perfect act of will.”[5]

Antonio Rosmini noted that “there is no thought that is not affective: love perfects knowing and the one who, knowing something, loves it, finds in the beloved the good, the fullness of that act of which man is potent.”[6] For Martin Heidegger, comprehension includes an affective element.[7] This conclusion is very close to what Saint Thomas noted: ubi amor, ibi oculus, “where there is love, there is the eye.” The act of seeing which, in and of itself is a selective operation, focuses on what captures the heart’s attention. He calls cogitative this capacity to unify the sensibility and the intellect, imagination and knowledge, memory and understanding.[8]

Affectivity, therefore, is fundamental not only for doing the good but also for knowing it: it notes details, consents to enter into relationships with others, to help them, to live friendship, love. In difficult and critical situations, reason is insufficient for recognizing and singling out the good to be done, or for confirming the choice. In these situations, the passions are a precious help, as Augustine notes: “As long as we carry the weakness of this life, if we do not have some passion, we will not live rightly.”[9]

This article is reserved for paid subscribers. Please subscribe to continue reading this article
Subscribe

Welcome to
La Civiltà Cattolica !
This article is reserved for paid subscribers
Please login or subscribe to continue reading this article
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE
What is La Civiltà Cattolica?

 

Tags: act of willAntonio RosminiClaude BruaireFranz RosenzweigHusserlmoral goodPaul RicœurpleasureViktor Frankl
Previous Post

Take the Gospel with Tranquilizers: A Conversation with the Superiors General

Next Post

Pope Francis at 80: A Leader on the World Stage

Giovanni Cucci, SJ

Giovanni Cucci, SJ

Is a member of the College of Writers of La Civiltà Cattolica

Related Posts

Photo by Adrià Crehuet Cano on Unsplash
Church Life

Sport for All: The Holy See and the ‘signs of the times’ in the world of sport

byPatrick Kelly, SJ
March 20, 2023
Pope Francis and his Ten-Year Journey with Displaced People
2303

Bergoglio’s Map: Literature in the formation of Pope Francis

byAntonio Spadaro, SJ
March 14, 2023
Refugees from Ukraine welcomed by JRS in Romania (photo: Sergi Cámara / Entreculturas – Alboan – JRS).
2303

Pope Francis and his Ten-Year Journey with Displaced People

byMichael Schopf, SJand1 others
March 13, 2023
How Pope Francis Sees Education
2204

How Pope Francis Sees Education

byLuiz Fernando Klein, SJ
March 9, 2023
Pope Francis meeting with Young People and Catechists, Kinshasa, DR Congo. February, 2, 2023. Photo: Vatican Media
2303

Let Africa be the protagonist of its own destiny!

byAntonio Spadaro, SJ
March 8, 2023
Next Post
Pope Francis at 80: A Leader on the World Stage

Pope Francis at 80: A Leader on the World Stage

Premium Content

The Nuclear Threat and the War in Ukraine

The Nuclear Threat and the War in Ukraine

November 25, 2022
The Catholic Church in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan: A Key Central Asia Nation

January 21, 2020
John Paul II and the Social Doctrine of the Church

John Paul II and the Social Doctrine of the Church

September 2, 2021

Browse by Category

Subscription Offers

BEATUS POPULUS CUIUS DOMINUS DEUS EIUS

The most respected digital Catholic journal from Rome. A must-read on all the present issues alive in the Church. Discover top Church scholars interpreting the history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith.

Categories

  Editions
  Church Thought
  Authors
  Church 
 
  Culture
  Perspective Series
  Politics & Socitey

 

About Us

   Contact Us
   La Civiltà Cattolica  
   China Forum
   Feedback
   Terms & Conditions
   Privacy Policy
    Email : [email protected]
My IP Address : 3.236.24.215
Facebook Twitter Instagram

© Union of Catholic Asian News 2023 | All Rights Reserved.
Except for any fair dealing permitted under the Hong Kong Copyright Ordinance, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate
SUBSCRIBE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?
Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Login
  • Sign Up
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

laciviltacattolica.com uses cookies and similar technologies to optimize the user experience,  analyze site traffic and communicate with subscribers. To read more about how we use cookies and how you can control them click on settings, or click Accept to start browsing our site.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.