Emotional Response

Nussbaum argues that because emotions are necessary for a full rational judgement. She asserts this point on the basis that emotions contain a certain cognitive dimension in their structure. I do not think that Nussbaum presents enough evidence to assert this claim. Just because emotions are in part thought-based, does not mean that thjey are essential to a decision making process. The consideration of emotion in certain situations (such as feeling grief at the depth of a family member) does not necessarily deserve consideration for ethical decisions. The question of how one should behave in response to the death of a family member can be considered rationally regardless of the emotions one may encounter.