Are thoughts Useful or Harmful (Essay Sample)

Are thoughts useful or harmful?
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Are Thoughts Useful or Harmful?
Introduction
It is inevitable for humans to engage their brain in the thinking process. Most people find themselves thinking without intending to do so. Thoughts can be both positive and negative. Ideally, thoughts can be both negative and positive. However, there are many reasons why the thinking process has been encouraged that render thoughts useful for human beings. Such reasons, as will be discussed below, include the fact that they help in decision-making and aid people in the understanding of their surroundings. In addition, they assist individuals to counter the various challenges in life.
The usefulness of thoughts
First, thoughts are mandatory for humans because they help in the decision-making process. The actions that people undertake are highly dependent on their thought process. Psychologists argue that people are prone to acting out their exact thoughts and would rarely deviate from them. Hence, thoughts serve as a guide for individuals to decide what to do about particular situations (Steiner, & Steiner, 2006). Thoughts are part of the human anatomy since they are directly related to cognition. Cognition assists the brain in terms of planning, memory, and the development of analytical skills. The three aspects are what guide the thoughts of human beings and determine the decisions they are bound to make. Therefore, it can be inferred that individuals would not be able to make important life decisions without critical thinking. The statement serves as proof to the usefulness of thoughts.
Second, thoughts help humans to understand and relate to their surroundings. To a sufficient degree, it is important that people understand their surroundings so that they can bond with the ecosystem and how it works. Thoughts are mandatory for the connection of humans to the internal and external environment in which they live. They can then tell the difference between certain aspects of the environment. For instance, it is the thought process that enables humans to understand the importance of a green environment. Thoughts are, for this reason, necessary for the survival of humans in the ecosystem (Rainbolt, 2014). Lack of thinking would render it impossible for humans to understand how the ecosystem works. People can survive in their internal and external environment because they can connect to the different things that facilitate its existence. Such connection is fostered through the thinking process.
The third factor that supports the usefulness of thoughts is the fact that they are imperative in helping individuals cope with challenges. The thought process propels reasoning that is helpful to an individual when he or she is faced with a problem. Psychologically, reasoning is the best way forward for problem-solving (Heuer, & Center for the Study of Intelligence, 1999). The thought process provides the profound understan...