"Emotion used to be considered the poor cousin of reason, but contemporary neuroscientists now see our emotions as part of how we reason. Our emotions evolved over eons for a purpose. Just as revulsion at the sight of maggots tells us not to eat the meat, so the soul sickness we feel at discovering infidelity is intended to protect us."

Comments?

I would have to say it depends.

Emotion is often what drives affairs. What reasonable person would set up shop with another person who is lying to their current spouse?

So I would say to a point, emotion plays a role in a healthy person.

However, what of the person who is self-absorbed? The "if it feels good, do it" kind of person? In this person, emotion can be used to justify some very selfish and hurtful behavior.

I think this is where emotion gets it's label as being a poor cousin of reason.

Emotion, without reason becomes selfishness. Reason is the boundaries that prevent emotion from running wild. Lacking reason, or lacking sound reasoning skills, emotional will naturally seek it's selfish desires, without regard to others.

Perhaps not in all cases, but I suspect most. We are selfish creatures, and if we were to live only by emotion, we would be only about ourselves, not others.

How can you have a marriage or raise children if one is only about themselves, or only loves their spouse because their spouse makes them feel good, or whatever?

At some point, reason has to step in and tell folks that marriage is not a daily disney fairytale, and sometimes the person next to you will not be a prince or princess.