Last week I head a group of calling themselves ‘intellectual pursuits’, but I called them philosophers. They gathered to discuss several different topics that offer a cue for debates that are interesting such as anger management, amnesia after the crime, generational heritage, politics and corporation just to name but a few.
In particular, the topic that I found interesting in the discussion by the group was the topic of emotions in humans and their influences on critical thinking. Which among all emotions that are we able to feel, do people believe in the most undeniable, the most powerful, beautiful or not, carrying by strength? Are people able to control it, modulate it, or are people likely to be completely carried away and absorbed by it? The seven philosophers who were discussing this debate included Plato, Descartes, David Hume, Judith Butler, Ifeanyi Menkiti, Locke, and W.T. Stace.
‘I have made the decision to talk about fear because due to several experiences that makes me meditate about the unquestionable presence of this kind of emotion in the psychology of humans. The general interpretation given to fear, what is my interpretation? What will people agree on? In which scenarios do fear hides at a subconscious level, and in which circumstances is it real, most tangible? In overall, does fear interfere or interact with the lives of people? And if so, to which level? ‘ said Plato
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‘Yes, I agree, which common things do people fear? Social rejection, hunger, death, illness, loneliness, pain, and grief?’ replied David Hume.
‘To bring my point, Hume, I start by asking what the common phobias? People fear spiders (arachnophobia), heights (acrophobia) and fire (pyrophobia)’ posed Descartes.
Plato explained ‘Yes by keenly analyzing these examples I am able to individuate the main two flows of fear. A believe both are equally plausible, depending on the subject cause, and on the content. According to my definition, fear is an emotion that is undeniable that lies within the psychology of humans’.
‘Yes Plato, and according to my view, I can describe fear as a generated illusion by wrong or lack or impartial information about something’. Seconded Locke.
‘Let’s start by analyzing the first type; fear cannot be faked, nor invoked, nor taught. Sometimes it may be dormant, waiting for you when the right time comes; just like death or illness. But sometimes it can be an awake presence; thereby manipulating your decision making, your actions, distorting your senses of reality, and misleading information. For instance, people are always aware that we should not run for our lives if we would have experience that is unpleasant when facing an angry lion in the wild; nonetheless, our moves are going to be decided for by our legs’. Plato explained further.
‘Analyzing the second type of fear, it’s less dramatic. Fear misinterprets reality because of lack of information; by this, I meant that fear gives us a projection of uncontrollable and uncertain future. And a person doesn’t like to be unable to control their reality’. Explained plate
‘Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. The danger is very real. But fear is a choice’ Stace objected.
‘Excuse me, Stace, In another view, Plato describes danger as a variable that is unquantifiable that is as ubiquitous as elusive, where individuals do not have any control. First fear is the spontaneous reaction that danger is undefined. A choice is required in everyday actions. Every choice one makes has some aspects of danger, this means that rational person choose s the option having less relative danger. The fear-driven choice, makes people avoid the most unpleasant outcome. For example, people usually take their cars to go to work because they fear to arrive late at work by public transportation. Individuals wear a professional suit when going for a job interview because they fear rejection and discrimination. Due to the fear of judgment, people behave according to their environmental norms. And finally, individuals eat because they fear hunger’ clarified Judith
‘Question Judith, Fear, does it prevent me from thinking critically, or does it enhance my rationality?’ Asked Descartes
‘This two discussed the interpretation of fear leverage various psychological behavior. One is active on how a person is trying to manage emotion (proactive behavior), while the other one produces a massive attitude of a person toward the emotion (reactive behavior). The person to a powerless state only managed by the emotional level. The acrophobic individual can lose rationality if they had to climb a tall building. This leads me to an analytical mindset and critical thinking on the fly; ‘Should I try to attack the spider knowing it could jump on my face, or should I try to find another way to get it out of the house?’ explained Judith
‘Which type rule out the other? It remains a subject to personal judgment’ posed Locke.
‘These possibilities combination tends to be more realistic, but my mutual rejection I will not discard either; a sensory perception is another thing of individualistic interpretation, we have to seek a common understanding of.Though it is interesting to note that people develop a softer stage of fear after having several experiences dealing with the first type of fear.After I spent several years splatting scorpions under my shoes, I later learned to put them into a glass and eject them out of the door’. Explained Plato
‘Generally, I think an individual may have any type of cause-effect cases when they deal with emotions, fear included. Individuals respond or react to emotions depending on their past experiences and their context. Fear is not exempted, when fear is at a conscious level, this means an individual is aware he/she is being scared of something at that moment, thus they respond to the situation. But in some instances, fear completely comes when unexpected, and body operates instantly’. Judith replied.
‘For example, when your friend decides to prank you through giving a little scare. An individual will have a reaction to the emotion, which might not bring the desired outcome’. Explained Judith.
‘Rational thought and awareness differentiate people from animals. Human too being animals we have emotions. The fact that we learn how to deal with emotions does not deny the existence of emotion itself’. Concluded Descartes.
‘Fear is not real’ opposed Stace
‘When I say fear is not real, I mean it’s something not physically tangible or made of any material thing. It is a thought process that facilitates the flight or fight response. This means that itself fear is imagined only, but it does not cause real psychological, physiological, and emotional consequences due to the triggered stress response and how stress responses affect the body and mind’. explained by Stace
‘I agree Stace, anxiety occurs for a similar reason: anxiety only happens when we believe are facing danger and the danger having the possibility of harming us. Just like fear, anxiety will only be created when we imagine we can be facing harming a way’ supported by Menkiti.
‘Anxiety and fear consequently are by how an individual thinks. According to this since I can conclude anxiety and fear are not real but only imagined’ continued Menkiti
‘Therefore people can overcome anxiety and fear by learning to think in a different way,’ said Stace.
Menkiti replied, ‘Behavioral change, how we act and think, people can overcome issues relating to anxiety by performing the correct work. Making of a healthy behavioral change, people eliminate anxiety issues’
‘People sometimes resolve to medication but this can never resolve anxiety disorder. For some reasons, medications might dampen down symptoms and nervous system reactivity in some individuals. But behavioral change is not being changed by medication. A willful action is required by an individual to make the behavioral change which anyone can do’ continued Menkiti.
‘Yes Menkiti, People experience in life is based on what individuals say regarding other people, things and experience people encounter as they live. The stories that people make about ourselves and life experience becomes our reality. For example, if we tell ourselves stories that are frightening concerning all dangers in life, our experience in life will be one of fear, anger, and anxiety’ Hume seconded.
‘People who are anxious usually tell themselves stories that are dangerous about life because at a given point in their lives they learned that overall life is worth worrying about and is dangerous. It’s this kind of worrisome stories that create fear and anxiety. When we continue telling threatening stories, the more anxious we are’ said Hume.
‘In order to overcome troublesome anxiety, people need to tell a less threatening story about the experience, the people and dangerous things we encounter’. Suggested Stace
Menkiti explained further, ‘It is also very clear that anxiety and fear all are about worrying of a danger in future which might happen and it is always not about what is actually happening’.
‘To add on that Menkiti, another way that people can overcome anxiety is through putting a focus on things at present and avoiding at all cost telling frightening stories’. Added Stace
‘Personally I overcome my problematic anxiety struggle because I made a behavioral change which is appropriate. This can be done by anyone with the right help, support, information, and effort’ explained Hume
‘Yes, making behavioral change is easier said than done. There are many reasons why we tell ourselves worrisome stories. But once these reasons are identified and successfully addressed, anyone can change their life experience by making a healthy behavioral change’. Said Stace.
‘If someone is struggling with anxiety issues, I would encourage the individual get help and right information so that the individual too, can overcome his/her anxiety issue for good’ suggested Menkiti
‘When the root of a problem is addressed promptly, the problem and its symptoms will go away. And through this way we can come up with a lasting success over disorder of anxiety’ explained Stace
‘And to finally achieve this, individual may do this with the right information, effort, help, and support’ concluded Stace.
