Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxd!rlr From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Emotions and choice Message-ID: <1355@pyuxd.UUCP> Date: Sun, 28-Jul-85 23:24:37 EDT Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1355 Posted: Sun Jul 28 23:24:37 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 31-Jul-85 01:17:44 EDT References: <5557@cbscc.UUCP> <591@unc.UUCP> Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week Lines: 31 >>A for >>instance: what about someone who was brought up in a violent home who >>now reacts to marital disagreement through violence, as learned in >>childhood? Does that person react through "choice"? [ROSEN] > Actually, this is an excellent example. YES, they are reacting through > choice. Such a person has built up a set of beliefs about what kinds of > bahavior are appropriate, and is reacting in such a way that they can be > right about those beliefs. The way to "treat" someone like this is to make > them aware of the beliefs they have and to make them aware that they *can* > choose to react in different ways than they have in the past. [GREG WOODS] THANK YOU!!! At last, an answer to my question that wasn't just a "yes" followed by a signoff. You're absolutely right about treating and helping such a person, but you're forgetting one thing. You state quite clearly that the treatment must make the person aware of the beliefs he/she has and must make them aware that they CAN choose other, better ways of reacting. The very fact that they ARE *UNAWARE* of the impact of those beliefs AND of the opportunity to make other choices means that they are NOT in any sense reacting through choice. Since choice implies selecting from alternatives, if one is not aware of an alternative, it is not within the realm of possibilities of choice. (I do agree completely about the possibilities of other choices, but, contrary to the turn this discussion has been taking, one cannot be considered responsible for things like emotions until one is aware of the possibilities of controlling them.) -- Life is complex. It has real and imaginary parts. Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr