To be emotionally engaged in an objection, logical inference or position, is to really ignore the possibility that the position statement, objection or inference could be or is likely to be wrong. For example take the following hypothetical conjecture.
Imagine Fred likes strawberries. In fact Fred likes them so much that he feels emotionally deprived without them, he eats strawberries at all three meals he has per day, and feels very unsatisfied if his daily dosage of strawberries has not been fulfilled.
Now imagine there is a world-wide pandemic and strawberries all over the world are found to be infested with a rare, deadly disease. If Fred is emotionally engaged with strawberries, all the evidence, all the scientific, biological papers, all the proofs from the Surgeon General, all the scientific arguments, all the statements made by doctors, even Fred's own mother would fail to convince Fred of the dangers of eating strawberries. Yes, Fred is probably insane, unrealistic, psychologically disturbed and possibly emotionally unstable. Logic, sound reasoning and clear unambiguous facts do not help Fred because he needs to be emotionally convinced.
To convince or persuade someone emotionally requires psychology. To convince someone rationally, objectively with a desire for the truth then logic, sound reasoning and facts that are unambiguous are going to be the mechanism for determining the correct path.
The question therefore, whenever one is engaged in debate is: "Am I emotionally involved in the outcome?" If the outcome is negative, and my position is wrong, am I intellectually positive, or am I going to react negatively to such a position, because of the outcome?" If you are one of these people who, given that the position reached will reach the opposite conclusion, will be upset, or remain unconvinced of the alternative, or not budge from your position, then you may be emotionally involved in the argument, and debate is futile.
The arguments and reasoning presented are to those who have an open mind, to those who are able to see other points of view, and to accept them as logically viable. It is part of being a intellectually healthy human being to accept and understand alternative positions, and to argue them constructively, methodically and arrive at different results. What you do with these results is your own prerogative, however, it behooves us, if we wish to be honest and intellectually true, to change our views so that the truth of our conviction matches our beliefs, in a sound, logical and reasoned manner.
