The Importance of Narrative Coherence in Human Emotions
For centuries, emotions have been viewed as obstacles to reason, challenges to be overcome in the pursuit of rational decision-making. This perspective, deeply influenced by René Descartes’ mind-body dualism, has perpetuated the notion that reason is the only reliable path to sound decisions, while emotions are dangerous distractions. However, contemporary research in neuroscience and philosophy has revealed that this view is fundamentally flawed. Emotions are not only essential to reason but are also integral to human decision-making, providing the narrative coherence that gives our lives meaning.
Consciousness Systems and Their Relevance to Emotions
To better understand this interrelationship, it is helpful to consider contemporary studies of consciousness, which suggest that it is sustained by three subsystems. System 0 encompasses the senses, which provide us with information about our immediate surroundings. System 1 is the automation system, responsible for essential survival actions, such as emotional reactions. These automatic responses are deeply rooted in our past experiences and play a crucial role in making quick and effective decisions. Finally, System 2 is the system that questions, reflects, and seeks to understand, asking questions like “What?”, “Why?”, and “How?”. This system allows us to consciously automate new routines, deliberately uniting reason with emotion (Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow, 2011).
These subsystems do not operate in isolation; they complement and influence each other, generating a narrative coherence essential to our identity and decision-making. This integration is what turns emotions into valuable guides rather than obstacles, as we will explore further.
Somatic Markers: The Body as an Emotional Guide
Neurologist Antonio Damasio introduced the concept of “somatic markers” in his work Descartes’ Error (1994), directly challenging the Cartesian dichotomy. Somatic markers are emotional signals in the body generated from past experiences that influence our present decisions. According to Damasio, these signals act as shortcuts that help us quickly evaluate options and lean toward decisions that benefit us while avoiding those that may be harmful.
For example, the sensation of butterflies in my stomach before an important event, workshop, or conference can be interpreted as a somatic marker alerting me to the relevance of the event and preparing my body to face the challenge. This process is not rational in a strict sense, but it is deeply logical: the body reminds me, through emotion, of the importance of the situation based on previous experiences. In this sense, somatic markers integrate the subsystems of consciousness, where System 1 (emotional automation) and System 2 (conscious reflection) work together to guide our decisions.
Reason and Emotion: An Indissoluble Marriage
The classic mind-body dichotomy proposed by Descartes has been profoundly questioned by Damasio and other contemporary thinkers. While Descartes argued that reason and emotions were independent entities, Damasio (1994) contends that this separation is a fundamental error. Emotions are not an obstacle to reason; on the contrary, they are essential to it. Without emotions, our decisions would lack context and direction. Reason, stripped of emotional influence, would become cold, disconnected, and paradoxically, irrational.
This perspective is also supported by studies on consciousness, which show how System 1 (emotional) and System 2 (rational) must work in harmony to achieve coherent decisions. Philosopher David Hume (1739), centuries before Damasio, had already anticipated this idea by stating that “reason is, and ought only to be, the slave of the passions.” For Hume, reason can only guide us toward goals defined by our emotions. Both thinkers agree that emotions are inseparable from reason and, therefore, essential to the narrative coherence of our decisions.
Narrative Coherence and Human Identity
The concept of narrative coherence is crucial to understanding the role of emotions in human life. Philosopher Paul Ricoeur (1944) argued that human beings construct their identity through narrative. We tell stories about who we are, where we have been, and where we are going. In this process, emotions act as the connecting threads that give cohesion and meaning to our experiences.
Emotions not only help us make decisions in the present but are also fundamental in making sense of our lives as a whole. Without them, our personal history would be an incoherent amalgam of disconnected events. Narrative coherence is what allows us to see our lives as a meaningful whole, and emotions are the glue that holds the pieces together. This coherence is only possible through the integration of the three systems of consciousness: the senses, emotional automation, and conscious reflection.
Contemporary Challenges and Future Reflections
In a reality dominated by algorithmic logic and automated decision-making, it is crucial to remember that humanity cannot be reduced to mere calculations. Somatic markers and the interconnectedness of emotion and reason underscore that our decisions are profoundly human, guided not only by logic but by a web of emotional experiences that give meaning to our existence.
The works of Antonio Damasio, David Hume, and Paul Ricoeur invite us to reconsider how we perceive rationality and emotion. They remind us that our decisions, and therefore our lives, are more than just acts of calculation. They are profoundly narrative processes where emotion not only enriches reason but defines it. By embracing this interconnection, we can build a more coherent and meaningful life, where our decisions reflect not only what we think but also what we feel and, ultimately, who we are.
