Definition of terms
13 So we are exploring the question of whether clear thinking has full power over the emotions.
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We need to define what careful reasoning is, what we mean by emotion, how many different kinds of emotions there are, and whether clear thinking has full power over all these things.
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clear thinking then is the mind-set that uses plain logic to choose the life of wisdom.
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Next, wisdom is the knowledge of divine and human behavior and what causes the behavior.
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This knowledge in turn comes from the instruction provided by the Law, through which we learn about divine matters reverently and human matters to our advantage.
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The different kinds of wisdom are good judgment, justice, courage, and self-control.
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Good judgment is the ruler among these kinds of wisdom, because clear thinking controls the emotions with it.
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There are two general categories of emotions: pleasure and pain. Each of these shows up in different ways in the body and in the soul.
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Several other emotions accompany pleasure and pain.
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Desire comes before pleasure, and joy follows it.
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Fear comes before pain, and grief follows it.
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Anger is a mixture of both pleasure and pain, as anyone who thinks about the experience would agree.
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With pleasure there is a tendency to form bad habits, and this is the most varied of the emotions.
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In the soul, bad habits show up as pride, love of money, thirst for honor, delight in conflict, and envy.
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In the body, they show up as eating anything and everything, the tendency to overeat, and indulging in binge eating in private.
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Just as pleasure and pain are two plants growing from the body and the soul, so there are many branches shooting off from each of these plants.
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But clear thinking, like an expert gardener, pulls out the weeds, trims, supports, waters, and cares for the plants in every way. So it tames the jungle of habits and emotions.