Is fear rational?

Question

I'll rephrase; Is fear a rational emotion?

Answer 1

Depends on what kind of fear... if someone has a loaded gun to your head, good time to feel fear... if you're afraid about whether or not you're going to die in 10 years even though you're perfectly healthy now... not rational.

Answer 2

It depends on the fear. Fear of being shot at and killed while you're standing on a firing range is pretty healthy, but fear of being eaten alive by cannibals in Indiana is probably a little far-fetched (maybe Texas, but not Indiana). Fear is a natural emotion designed for self-preservation. Certain fears, like public speaking, are pretty normal--it may have to do with not wanting to be attacked. If you find that a fear is affecting your life, and it's not something like fear of burning your hand when you stick it in a hot oven, you might get help from a therapist, who can help you either get over it or at least not let it control you.

Answer 3

Irrational fears are fears that is usually non-threatening by nature but we fathom them as a real 'dangerous' situation. Somtimes, we are conscious about our fears being exaggerated, yet we still feels fearful and feels out of control.

Fears could be rational or irrational depending on its extent and whether YOU feel in control or not. Overall, I think that fear is rational if it does not affect your life greatly and when you feel you are still being able to exert CONTRL over the situation.

Answer 4

The fact that we have the capacity to fear is rational, if we didn't we wouldn't have evolved very far.

However, the capacity of fear itself works independently from rational thought. Sometimes, it can even affect rational thought, like where you get people convincing themselves that everyone's out to get them. And then there's an even better question.. is rational thought itself rational?? HMMM.

Answer 5

No fear is an emotion, you can feel fear for a rational or an irrational reason, but the emotion itself is not rational.

Answer 6

Yeah I have a constant fear of getting obsessed with anything that could be bad for me, and not knowing how to stop... It's because i have an intense personality. Also, bees and wasps - i think it's rational as i don't want to be stung! Great question. =)

Answer 7

I think so. I think fear is an instinct. If man wasn't afraid, they would have been mauled by whatever creatures there were to maul people thousands of years ago. They wouldn't have hid and protected themselves, they would have all died. Some fear however, is irrational. That's when it becomes more of a phobia in need of professional help. Like the fear of mayonnaise. Mayonnaise has less chance to kill than a crazed mauling beast.

Answer 8

Although there are things to fear that would be irrational, fear in general is rational. It is our way of reacting to danger. If we didn't feel fear, we might do something stupid and get ourselves hurt or worse.

Answer 9

Yes, fear prevents me from doing stupid things.
For example:
I want to cross the highway not on the intersection, but I am afraid to get hit by a car and die, so I walk extra 200 yards and cross on the traffic light.

What is more rational then this?

Answer 10

Fear is not rational. When fear strikes the natural human physical reaction is to distance yourself from that FEAR. Most people who experience extreme fear panic and become irrational. Their behavior becomes as extreme as their panic and the need for distance and self preservation, overrides all rational thoughts and actions.