Do We Think First or Feel First? Two Philosophers Explain

Are We Driven By Reason or Emotion? Plato and David Hume Have Very Different Answers

Every choice you’ve ever made, from what you eat for breakfast to who you fall in love with, comes from somewhere. But where, exactly? Is it logic, carefully weighing facts and outcomes? Or is it emotion, moving you long before you’re even aware of it?

Two philosophers separated by centuries, Plato and David Hume, gave two totally different answers. Their disagreement is more than theoretical; it reveals something deeply personal about how we understand ourselves today.

Plato: We Are Rational Beings Who Should Follow Reason

Plato believed that morality, the choices we make about right and wrong, comes from reason.

He saw humans as thinkers first, feeling creatures second. According to him, we act morally because it’s rational, and reason helps us choose what benefits the community and ourselves long-term.

To explain this, Plato uses vivid metaphors:

1. The Captain and the Ship

A captain isn’t a captain because he’s physically on a ship, but because he has the expertise to lead it.

In Plato’s view, expertise exists to guide others. So when someone acts morally, they do it not for personal gain but because reason tells them it’s what benefits everyone.

2. The Ring of Gyges

Plato also tells the story of a shepherd who finds a magical ring that makes him invisible. With this power, he steals, manipulates, breaks laws, harms people and simply because he knows he can get away with it.

Plato agrees it’s natural that the shepherd, or any person, would act out of self-interest if there were no consequences. But acting morally, Plato argues, isn’t simply about avoiding punishment.

It’s about this:

When people use reason properly, they choose genuine goodness, not shortcuts.

Reason leads to moral behaviour because reason understands the bigger picture: the health of a community, the future, the well-being of others.

For Plato, reason is the engine; morality is the destination.

Hume: Reason Is the Passenger — Emotion Is the Driver

David Hume looks at human behaviour and says:

Plato, respectfully… no.

Hume argues that humans are not guided by reason, but we’re guided by...

• Passion
• Emotion.
• Desire.
• Instinct.
• Impulse.
• Fear.
• Attraction.

Hume doesn’t deny that reason exists. But he says reason alone can’t get you to act. It can’t push you into motion. It can’t make you care.

To Hume:

“Reason is, and ought only to be, the slave of the passions.”

Reason is the assistant — not the boss.

Here’s how Hume breaks it down:

1. Reason Guides, But It Doesn’t Motivate

Reason helps you figure out how to achieve something, but emotion determines what you want in the first place.

Example:

Reason can tell you which workout plan burns more calories.

But emotion, the desire for confidence, fear of illness, excitement, insecurity, decides whether you actually go to the gym.

2. We Act Because We Care About Outcomes

Humans naturally respond to cause and effect.

We act because we expect a certain feeling at the end of it:

• relief
• happiness
• pleasure
• comfort
• security
• pride

These are all emotional states, not rational ones.

Hume sees passion as the heartbeat of motivation.

Without passion, there is no action — only thought.

Who Is Right?

The truth is… both feel accurate in different parts of life.

Plato is right when:

• we reflect
• we consider long-term consequences
• we learn from experience
• we try to choose fairness
• we behave morally even when it’s hard
• we pause to think before acting

These moments reveal our ability to rise above impulse and use reason.

Hume is right when:

• we fall in love
• we lash out
• we crave something
• we want comfort
• we chase pleasure
• we make “gut decisions”
• we respond to fear, anger, desire, excitement

These show how deeply emotion drives us.

And honestly, don’t most of our decisions feel like a messy mix of both?

Why This Debate Still Matters

Because understanding whether we’re driven by emotion or reason tells us something important about:

• how we love
• how we argue
• how we vote
• how we form habits
• how we justify our choices
• how we fall into temptation
• how we stay motivated
• how we avoid mistakes
• how we grow

If you believe Plato, you’ll try to discipline your thinking until morality becomes a rational choice.

If you believe Hume, you’ll learn to understand your emotions because controlling passion means controlling your life.

But if you really look at yourself, you might see this truth:

Reason may guide the journey, but emotion decides where you go.

The real power comes from knowing which one is speaking and when.