(July 6, 2012 at 4:55 am)CliveStaples Wrote:Quote:When it comes to reality and finding out what's true and what's not, emotions are completely useless.
I tend to agree with this, but I feel like it overlooks the positive contributions that emotions have made in the history of human progress. Many scientists are impelled toward research and discovery because of the wonder and excitement they feel toward the universe (or some facet of it). Certainly many mathematicians are motivated by a sense of beauty in mathematics.
Now, maybe these 'aesthetic' interests don't qualify as 'emotions', but that's a pretty thin hair to split, I think.
Way to wallow in petty contrarianism.