Are Thoughts Useful Or Harmful? (Essay Sample)

Are Thoughts Useful Or Harmful? Name Institutional Affiliation  Are Thoughts Useful Or Harmful? The Merriam-Webster dictionary (2015) defines a thought as an act or process of thinking. The thought process in human beings is distinctive because they are a more intelligent species as compared to the rest. It is through this process that humans are able to generate ideas or form an opinion about a particular subject. Human thoughts are extremely crucial, as they not only guide in decision-making, but also in the interaction with the ecosystem. Psychologists assert that the thought patterns of a person facilitate his or her decision-making processes and consequently, their consequential actions. Therefore, thinking plays a vital role in human cognition. Additionally, being able to think also helps humans to understand their external and internal environments, as well as help them to address the various challenges that they encounter in their lives. This treatise will delve on unraveling the human thought patterns and their significance in social patterns and postulate that thoughts are useful as they are fundamental in people’s lives. One of the most instrumental segments of the human anatomy is cognition, which is deeply dependent on human thought patterns. Essentially, cognition is the process by which humans are able to acquire their exceptional discerning capabilities that set them apart from the rest of the species (Inhelder, Sinclair & Bovet, 2014). Through the thought process, they are able to harness both the subconscious and conscious mind to develop memory and analytic skills. These skills guarantee their survival, as they enable them to recognize, recall information, and plan. Furthermore, cognition abilities allow the human society to co-exist. Therefore, it is undeniable that human thought patterns are fundamental, as they are responsible for generating the thoughts that lead to actions and decisions that govern the way humans co-exist in the society. Psychologists have always contended that people exhibit different levels of cognitive and analytic capacities, which explains the resultant varying abilities in human beings. The above reasons buttress the importance of human thoughts. Another paramount reason that justifies the usefulness of thoughts is that they are instrumental in helping humans understand their internal and external surroundings. Humans live in an ecosystem that is governed by sets of principles that they are mandated to adhere to. Therefore, in order to foster a balance within the ecosystem, it is important that both the internal and external surroundings be understood. As Kahneman (2012) notes, human thoughts guide in connecting with the external and internal dimensions of the environments. He further notes that the absence or lack of thought would be unpropitious as it would be nearly impossible to detect these dimensions. Based on these assertions as well as those of other thought experts, it is an irrefutable fact that human thoughts are more beneficial than harmful. Without the knack to think, people would lack the ability to distinguish between the two environments as well as fail to perceive what approach to take to handle their constituent elements. This further proves the usefulness of human thoughts. Human thoughts are remarkable as they help in addressing various challenges. Often, humans encounter various hurdles in their lives, which they overcome through reasoning. Psychologists acclaim critical reasoning as a beneficial tool for devising solutions to problems. Unlike other species, humans have the capacity to harness the power of their thought patterns to achieve solutions to complex impending solutions (Heath & Bryant, 2013). Therefore, because of the ability to formulate thoughts, humans can discern the right reasoning approach that will result in a solution that effectively addresses the problem at hand. However, it is important to note that the possibility of achieving a solution to a particular problem is dependent on th...