Question: Why do we have emotions?

Alex Reid answered on 14 Nov 2018: last edited 14 Nov 2018 5:42 pm

Hi BigG this is a fascinating question, and an important one. Emotions are very vital things that colour our experience of day to day life, our reality and individual memories. Given that experiencing some emotions is awful (pain, anxiety, fear) you are rightly asking the question: why? At the core of all our emotions is our evolutionary history. Emotions (both positive and negative) would have given our ancestors important clues about the world that they needed to survive. Fear would help us run away from danger. Anxiety would help us focus on things that matter. Pain would tell us to not do something again. Jealousy could draw our attention to the potential loss (or need to aquire) something important. This rich spectrum of emotions is a core part of the human experience and is essential for allowing us to respond appropriately to an ever-changing environment. It is amazing that we can do this and really puts things into perspective for me!