#844 - Dr Laith Al-Shawaf - Why Do Humans Actually Have Emotions?
Modern Wisdom
Emotions Evolve for Action, Not Just Comfort
Linguistic differences, such as the German word 'schadenfreude,' reveal a deeper cross-cultural psychological uniformity rather than an insurmountable gap in understanding. An evolutionary perspective clarifies that emotions have evolved primarily to promote adaptive actions rather than to foster well-being. This perspective helps reconcile the emotional paradox where emotions, while useful, can also lead to distress. Aversive emotions can serve functional roles, illustrating that their evolution is geared towards adaptive responses rather than precision or absolute truth. For example, anxiety, while often perceived negatively, can still play an important role in prompting beneficial action.
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