1. why do we have emotions? emotions can help us survive & thrive:
“in the wilderness in which the human race
developed its current genetic characteristics,
individuals who had the capacity to respond to
dangerous or otherwise significant circumstances
with an adequate set of emotions, and acted
accordingly, had a better chance to survive, to
have children, and to raise them than indiv-
iduals who were deficient in that respect”
Gut, E. Productive & unproductive depression. London: Routledge, 1989

2. ‘body-mind as radar’ model
the body-mind is like a radar & rapid response system constantly assessing whether the outer & inner environments are favourable or unfavourable
emotions (like a constant wash of changing colours) are the ‘readings’ from this radar & rapid response system
the emotional radar system is ‘quick & dirty’ triggering rapid responses that may be accurate, adaptive & possibly life-saving or inaccurate & unhelpful