Seven Sins: What is the alchemy of emotions?

Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth: religions have whipped up these emotions as deadly sins, as sentiments that must be shunned lest one strays from the right path. Science, however, does not look at them as outright negatives. It treats them as complicated ideas that have played a crucial role in humans’ evolutionary success, even made them what they are.

The scholarship on these concepts has grown over the years. Psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, even economists, now study them through different lenses to analyse their role not just in human evolution but also in today’s times, in ensuring one’s mental health or financial well-being, for instance. They are conducting complex scientific studies to examine, explain and explore the rationale behind emotions.

They still do not understand them clearly or completely. How are emotions affected by cultures or genes or the brain? What are their key triggers? Do they have physical and mental costs? Do animals have feelings that correspond to human emotions? Are emotions just human expressions or are we engineered to experience them for some existential benefits?

Down To Earth (DTE) speaks to scientists and authors to take stock of what we know so far, the historical debates around these emotions and the critical gaps in our understanding. The 32nd anniversary edition of DTE documents these conversations that emphasise one point: emotions are innate to human existence and a part of their biological being.

This is the first of an 18-part series.

This was first published as part of the cover story of the 16-31 May, 2024 Print edition of Down To Earth