Final answer:
Emotions are recognized as having a cognitive component and are integral to rational thinking. Theories like those by Lazarus and Schachter-Singer explain how cognition and biology underpin our emotional experiences. By reflecting on emotions, we can manage them and exercise epistemic humility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question invites an exploration of emotions which are complex states involving physiological arousal, cognitive appraisal, and subjective experiences. In the philosophical discourse of the 60s and 70s, emotions were recognized as having a cognitive component, challenging the earlier view that they were just feelings.
Philosophers like Antonio Damasio emphasized that emotions are integral to the rational thinking process and should not be viewed as antagonistic to reason. The role of the amygdala, thalamus, and other parts of the limbic system in processing emotions shows that biology is deeply connected to our emotional experiences.
The theories of emotion, such as those by Lazarus and Schachter-Singer, discuss how our perceptions and constructs of the environment influence our emotional responses.
We are encouraged to maintain skepticism of strong emotions, recognizing that while emotions are important, they can also cloud judgment. Using tools of metacognition, one can reflect upon the origins of emotions and manage them without necessarily dismissing them, thus adopting a practice of epistemic humility.
Ultimately, research by psychologists like Barrett suggests that emotions are predictions based on experiences, and hence, can be influenced by changing our interpretations of our physiological states.