Sometimes we hear reasoned arguments that oppose a view to which we are emotionally committed; sometimes we hear a passionate plea for a view we have good reason to reject. Bearing this in mind, discuss the importance of reason and emotion in distinguishing between belief and knowledge?
In Theory of Knowledge, knowledge refers to justified true belief. However, to distinguish knowledge from belief is something totally different. Knowledge is almost always valid as it has been justified. Belief on the other hand, is based on something personal from someone, usually lacking judgment, understanding and justification. Belief is usually dependant on emotion whether it is something we inherit for who we are or something we have been led to think in the culture or society we are in. Reason on the other hand links to emotion as it is another way of knowing. While believing through emotion might lead us astray, reasoning will get us far more on track as we can question our beliefs and justify it.
English: Managing emotions - Identifying feelings
Figure 15 from Charles Darwin's The Expression of ...
EmotionTherefore it is crucial that we accept the significance of reason and emotion as it helps us distinguish between belief and knowledge.
We must first distinguish between belief and knowledge and then identify the importance of reason and emotion in differentiating the two. Belief is something that we usually suppose is true due to the circumstances we live in. This could be based upon religion, politics or even the society we grow up in. Belief can be the first or the last step on our journey to find knowledge. If we tend to believe in something, we either test it out or question it. Although, even if we see something that we know might be true, our beliefs can hinder us from accepting it as the truth.
Knowledge is just as complex...