Evaluate The Ways In Which Emotion Might Enhance And/or Undermine Reasoning As A Way Of Knowing.

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e·mo·tion ( -m sh n)
n.
1. A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling: the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love.

2. A state of mental agitation or disturbance: spoke unsteadily in a voice that betrayed his emotion.

3. The part of the consciousness that involves feeling; sensibility: “The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect” (Isaac Bashevis Singer)


rea·son (r z n)
n.
1. The basis or motive for an action, decision, or conviction.
2. A declaration made to explain or justify action, decision, or conviction: inquired about her reason for leaving.
3. An underlying fact or cause that provides logical sense for a premise or occurrence: There is reason to believe that the accused did not commit this crime.
4. The capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought; intelligence.
5. Good judgment; sound sense.
6. A normal mental state; sanity: He has lost his reason.
7. Logic. A premise, usually the minor premise, of an argument.1

rea·son·ing (r z -n ng)
n.
1. Use of reason, especially to form conclusions, inferences, or judgments.
2. Evidence or arguments used in thinking or argumentation.1


From the definitions provided, we can see that in this dictionary reason is defined as being synonymous with logic, and emotion with spontaneity. Logic is normally connected with conscious thought and premeditation, and emotion with instinct and reflex. You cannot plan what you feel, but you can plan what you will learn.
Take, for example, the idea of scientific objectivity. Scientists carrying out experiments try to put their emotions and predispositions to one side, so as to not negate the objectivity of the experiment. Ideally, an experiment should be carried out in the pursuit of pure fact, and emotions would turn that pure fact into personal interpr...