Thinking vs Feeling
Thinking and feeling are verbs in English language, but for human beings, these are important cognitive processes that heavily influence our decision making. In fact, most of the decisions in our lives, whether routine or important, are made with the help of these two cognitive processes. Here, it is pertinent to note that any signal into and out of the brain has to pass through a system called the limbic system that controls our feelings before they come to the part where thinking takes place. But is there any difference between thinking and feeling? Let us find out.
Thinking
We make sense of the world around us with the help of our sensory perceptions and an analysis and interpretation of what we see and hear. Thinking involves a thought process that is an integral part of all our actions and behaviors. It is both an activity on a biological level with neurons moving from one nerve end to another carrying signals as well as a psychological activity with our focus upon finding a solution to a problem.
Thinking is an activity or process that has been considered as objective and rational as it is based upon facts and helps us arrive at decisions. Thinking allows us to judge and evaluate an object, issue, situation, or a person. It also tells us how to proceed in a given situation. If we are thinking about something, that thing happens to be at the focus of our thoughts. When thinking, we could actually be doing many things in our mind. We could be solving a math problem, a possible action or choice in a situation, being conscious, revisiting things and places, and so on. To think is to imagine or to have an opinion about something.
Feeling
Feeling is a sensation that is different from the sensation of sight, hearing, taste, and smell. If we have a feeling of warmth for someone else, it means we care for that person. It is our feelings that make us feel sad or glad. Feelings also help people arrive at decisions. Such people are ruled by their hearts and are more subjective than people who think rationally. Feeling type is a personality type that categorizes people who make decisions that are subjective and based upon their values, morals, and principles.
Feeling is more an experience rather than just a physical sensation. This is why we have so many different types of feelings such as jealousy, supremacy, inferiority, anger, happiness, guilt, warmth, love, friendship, affection, awe, and so on.
What is the difference between Thinking and Feeling?
• Feeling is subjective whereas thinking is objective.
• Feeling is emotional whereas thinking is rational.
• Feeling is based upon our perception of right and wrong whereas thinking is based upon facts and logic.
• Our culture values people with a thinking personality type more than those who have a feeling personality type.
• Thinking is continuous and nonstop whereas feeling is affective state of consciousness.
• Both thinking and feeling help us in arriving at a decision.