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# II. Appropriate Emotions
- URL: https://mereorthodoxy.com/2-appropriate-emotions/
- Published: 2007-11-25T13:02:25.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-20T21:20:52.000Z
- Description: II. Appropriate Emotions
- Author: Mere Orthodoxy
- Tags: Keith E. Buhler, Philosophy, Liberal Arts, Devotional, Theology and Practice

**Appropriate Emotions**

The first and foremost fact we must acquaint ourselves with is that certain emotions are appropriate given a stimulus and certain others are not. See CS Lewis for a detailed and robust argument in Abolition of Man. For now a few common sense observations will suffice. Seeing a baby and feeling happiness, tenderness, affection, and care is appropriate, "fitting," natural, normal and good. Seeing a dead rat in the basement and feeling disgust is also appropriate. Similarly, receiving a gift has an appropriate emotional response, that of thanksgiving, humility, and gratitude.