Recently in a class of mine, we discussed the main elements of a feeling and an emotion. We drew our consensus from the reading what is an Emotion by Cheshire Calhoun and Robert C. Solomon. Our agreement was that a feeling is a mental state and that that mental state ignites the physical attributes that are commonly associated with the feeling. Without the physical attributes, a feeling would no longer exist but the concept would still be there; the result of this would be considered as an emotion.
As reasoning of this analysis, the concept of agitation can easily be proof of this cause. As a student of modern western society, an IB student, enters a classroom, knowingly that if they were to present a project that has not been rehearsed, that student would possibly have a fast beating heart rate, sweat coming through pores all over their body, shaky, temporarily verbally handicapped, and possible many other problems, then that student would be able to claim that they were feeling morose. Whereas that student, after the class is over, could claim that the emotion felt during class and before, could be morose because those characteristics that appear physically have dissipated.
Through this reasoning, the inevitability of the concept of emotion exists only after the event occurs. This idea can also be seen when recalling a particular significant event that has occurred. In this case, the prominent example could be such as a school shooting that has resulted with deaths, horror, and many other emotions. The person experiencing the strong event would be physically struck with side effects that would prevent them to act reasonable or not act at all. That feeling being felt by that person would be exceptionally high in terms of shock, or also known as scared white.
To this person in this situation, assuming that the situation concerns a new student to the school and doesn't know anyone, the person would most likely fear for their life, but if they were to survive, the feelings felt at the moment of death, would be lost and only a memory would exist. Presume that three or four years after the occurrence passed, the survivor pops in a tape of the event as shown on the local news, that survivor would probably have a flashback that ignited the concept of the feeling, emotion, but would have a totally different view on the occasion.
This particular situation has been seen in many common school shootings that have occurred in the past few years where witnesses are quoted after the event, and are then viewed on a tape of the event occurring. Here are some events that can be researched on to view this situation and victims of the events: Feb. 2, 1996 Moses Lake, Wash., Feb. 19, 1997 Bethel, Alaska, March 24, 1998 Jonesboro, Ark., April 20, 1999 Littleton, Colo., March 5, 2001 Santee, Calif., Jan. 3, 2007 Tacoma, Wash., Feb. 12, 2008 Oxnard, California, Feb. 14, 2008 DeKalb, Illinois.
With these somewhat known shootings and their background, as well as their similarities as shootings, it can be clearly stated that the feeling is a mental state and that feeling ignites the side effects associated with the feeling. When the physical attributes are taken away, that particular feeling dissipate and become an emotion.
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Recent Worldwide School Shootings http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html
"What is an Emotion" by Cheshire Calhoun and Robert C. Solomon
