ABSTRACT
Emotions can take on a dispositional as well as an occurrent character. Emotions play a role in understanding people that sensations simply do not. An experience of emotion will, in the normal course of things be appropriately produced by the belief or perception that causes it. The element of freedom, between feeling an emotion and choosing whether, and how, to express or react to it, may be what gives some people the idea that emotions are not passions but actions. There may be some people who think they cannot have a feeling without expressing it to others and, for them, it may be very difficult or distressing to contain powerful or troubling feelings in their mind without immediately trying to expel and give vent to them. Keeping the feelings in mind, as opposed to acting upon them, is not seen as a choice.
