Comments on: This One’s About Fear http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/2008/04/03/this-ones-about-fear/ A Blog of Ideas Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:42:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: leslie http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/2008/04/03/this-ones-about-fear/comment-page-1/#comment-3424 leslie Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:14:10 +0000 http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/?p=406#comment-3424 I wouldn't want to rationalize too much if the tiger jumped out at me :) I would want the flutterey gut feelings to pump that adrenalin right to the appropriate places! Would it be more appropriate to call 'irrational fears' phobias? I wouldn’t want to rationalize too much if the tiger jumped out at me :)
I would want the flutterey gut feelings to pump that adrenalin right to the appropriate places!
Would it be more appropriate to call ‘irrational fears’ phobias?

]]> By: david http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/2008/04/03/this-ones-about-fear/comment-page-1/#comment-3415 david Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:01:30 +0000 http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/?p=406#comment-3415 Hmm. That's an interesting point. I would tend to say that fear is irrational because it's rarely helpful. I've never thought of a situation in which it would be useful to be scared. It seems to me that to the extent that it does anything it almost always distracts from dealing with the situation at hand. If that feeling in your gut is instinctive it seems that it's probably "irrational." Rational seems to me to mean "arising as a result of reasoning," which the average fear is not. That said, I do think one may rationally fear--that is, both instinctively and as a result of reasoning--knifes, guns, lions, or dark alleyways in dangerous areas. I'd usually say that "fear" ranges from discomfort to sheer terror. Any degree along that scale can probably be justified by some circumstance. I like your point about being relative, because feeling sheer terror about riding the subway is probably irrational. A bit of rational fear is there, but it's out of proportion to all reality. I should also say that that whole range of fear seems to me "arational" or perhaps "subrational." It arises irrespective of reason, and whether it was rational or irrational can only be judged later. So to whether or not it was in proportion to what could pass for a "rational level of fear." Wow. That came out sounding both longer and more convoluted than I expected. Thanks for making me think harder about this. Hmm. That’s an interesting point. I would tend to say that fear is irrational because it’s rarely helpful. I’ve never thought of a situation in which it would be useful to be scared. It seems to me that to the extent that it does anything it almost always distracts from dealing with the situation at hand.

If that feeling in your gut is instinctive it seems that it’s probably “irrational.” Rational seems to me to mean “arising as a result of reasoning,” which the average fear is not. That said, I do think one may rationally fear—that is, both instinctively and as a result of reasoning—knifes, guns, lions, or dark alleyways in dangerous areas.

I’d usually say that “fear” ranges from discomfort to sheer terror. Any degree along that scale can probably be justified by some circumstance. I like your point about being relative, because feeling sheer terror about riding the subway is probably irrational. A bit of rational fear is there, but it’s out of proportion to all reality.

I should also say that that whole range of fear seems to me “arational” or perhaps “subrational.” It arises irrespective of reason, and whether it was rational or irrational can only be judged later. So to whether or not it was in proportion to what could pass for a “rational level of fear.”

Wow. That came out sounding both longer and more convoluted than I expected. Thanks for making me think harder about this.

]]> By: leslie http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/2008/04/03/this-ones-about-fear/comment-page-1/#comment-3414 leslie Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:08:45 +0000 http://www.frozentoothpaste.com/?p=406#comment-3414 "You can't live your life in fear" is a palliative. It feels too simplistic, like when someone says, "It's for the better". Fear is Fear. If you are feeling it in your gut, it is not irrational, by your set of criteria. Fear is relative. I am not sure it is irrational. “You can’t live your life in fear” is a palliative.
It feels too simplistic, like when someone says, “It’s for the better”.
Fear is Fear. If you are feeling it in your gut, it is not irrational, by your set of criteria.
Fear is relative. I am not sure it is irrational.

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