สำนักราชบัณฑิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand °“√°√–µÿâ πÕ“√¡≥å ‡æ◊Ë Õª√–‚¬™πå ∑“ß®√‘ ¬∏√√¡ Vol. 32 No. 2 Apr.-Jun. 2007 266 Abstract The Stimulation of Emotions for Ethical Benefits Pataraporn Sirikanchana Associate Fellow of the Moral and Political Sciences, The Royal Institute, Thailand Philosophers in ethics often judge a person û s behavior as stemming either from using reasons or emotions. In religion , behaviors resulting from emotions are deemed bad and inferior to those resulting from intelligence. In some cases , the meaning of ç emotion é and ç feeling é overlaps. Therefore , people often mention them together as ç emotion and feeling é. Even in theory and according to religious principles it can be seen that the use of emotions may lead to the decline of individuals and society. However , in living one û s life the stimulation of emotions is a strategy mostly employed to achieve the desired political , religious , and social goals. There rises a question whether the act of permitting emotions to play an unlimited role in the way individuals and society lead their lives is dangerous to sustainable development of virtue. Thai society should pay careful consideration in using emotions as a tool for building up a moral awareness. Intelligence or reason should be used to control emotion in order to truly attain individual and common benefits. Key words : emotion , reason , intelligence , virtue