Final answer:
Emotions are crucial for human survival as they facilitate social living and cooperation in raising children. Research on primates and human societies demonstrates that emotions aid in the formation of social bonds and moral development. The answer to the question is that emotions aid survival.
Step-by-step explanation:
Human emotions play a critical role in the survival and social organization of our species. Our ability to live in groups, cooperate, and raise children is deeply rooted in our emotional connections with one another. This demonstrates the evolutionary importance of emotions, indicating that emotions aid survival. From the study of primates by Frans de Waal to the Harlows' research on rhesus monkeys, it is clear that emotions are not just spontaneous reactions but are essential for social bonding and morality, which are vital for the continuation of our species.
The case for emotions being innate is supported by their universal presence in all human societies and their contribution to the development of morality and cultural norms. While some aspects of emotional expression can be influenced by learning and cultural environment, the basic inclination to form emotional bonds and seek societal approval denotes an evolutionary imperative to ensure the survival and flourishing of human communities. This argues against the notion that emotions are merely learned or reflexive.
Therefore, the final answer to the question posed is a. emotions aid survival. This is because our complex emotional life is essential for social engagements that are fundamental to human life, such as collective child-rearing, societal functioning, and development of moral frameworks. In sum, emotions provide the social glue that has helped humanity to thrive.