The speaker asserts that educational systems should place less emphasi on reason and logical thinking and more emphasis on the exploration of emotions. I tend to agree with the author when particular branches of knowledge are considered. But for most other branches of knowledge I tend to disagree with the speaker's claim.
The speaker's assertion has some merit as far as certain disciplines such arts and literature are concerned. This subject matter of these disciplines are people and their emotions. The accomplishements of these disciplines are measured in terms of the human emotions. Success in these disciplines entitle creativity and imaginations and have little to do with logic and reason. However, this disciplines also need to cover some theories and techniques to facilitate the students to express themselves well. For instance, painters need to learn about different medium and tools of painting and how to use them. The literateurs need to learn about the different elements of language like grammer and vocabulary as a vehicle to express their ideas and imaginations to the general people.
English: Managing emotions - Identifying feelings
Figure 15 from Charles Darwin's The Expression of ...
EmotionExcept for these few exceptions, most disciplines require developing the intellect within the students not nurturing the emotions. Physical sciences like physics, mathematics, chemistry etc have no room for emotions. Even non-physical sciences such as Political science, Philosophy, Sociology etc require the ability to reasoning and thinking objectively. It might appear to many of us that these disciplines require the subjective opinions of the scientists in those fields. But in fact when somebody in any of those fields develop a theory, he must deduce so from the facts and evidence collected not with the help of emotion.
Undue emphasis on emotions can carry detrimental consequences on the society. It would spread prejudice and dogmatism among the society. There would be no place for reasoning.