Article Analysis: Emotions and Choices by Robert C. Solomon

This paper will examine Robert C. Solomon's Emotions and Choices article, to best identify what anger is, and to what extent a rational human being is responsible for their anger. Firstly, Solomon's argument must be described. A quick summation of Solomon's argument can be found in the following four points: Emotions are judgements, emotions are chosen, emotions serve a purpose, and emotions are rational.1 To quote Solomon, he explains that “Emotions are not occurrences, and do not happen to us. They ... may be chosen like an action.”2

To further elaborate, Solomon suggests that emotions are normative judgements. An emotion is a marker of value to an object, action, or situation. Furthermore, in his writing, Solomon is very careful to distinguish a feeling from an emotion, feelings are not emotions. Solomon explains this discrepancy though the following reasoning: Firstly, emotions (and not feelings) are about something. Secondly, emotions cannot be distinguished into feelings. Third, emotions can last while no feelings do. Finally, feelings may persist beyond the experiencing of an emotion.3

That is, for example, anger (a feeling) may be felt in reaction to a negative event or stimuli such as loss of an item (Solomon uses having his car stolen as the most prominent example in his article), a misunderstanding, or a lack of sleep. To use Solomon's example of the loss of a vehicle, it can be shown that the choice of being angry at the situation (the voluntary feeling) fits all for aspects of Solomon's argument. Firstly, feeling anger at the loss of a vehicle, is the feeling being experienced by an individual. This is distinct from the emotion felt which is brought on due to the negative event occurring, possibly for a more comp...

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...vate the framework of a person, allowing them to respond with a particular feeling. This feeling is therefore voluntary, and if something is voluntary it must be chosen12. If something is a choice, it must have been considered and weighed, and is therefore rational. Therefore, in extending Solomon's argument to anger, is can be stated that anger is a reaction chosen by an individual when prompted by an outside factor, and therefore because anger is rationally chosen by an individual, one is directly responsible for their own anger in is entirety.

“It is clear our emotions are our own doing.” - Robert. C. Solomon.

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Bibliography

Solomon, Robert. "Emotions and Choice (1973)." Solomon: Emotions and Choice. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~lormand/phil/teach/p&e/readings/Solomon%20-%20Emotions%20and%20Choice%20(highlights).htm (accessed April 5, 2014).