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The word feeling has several possible definitions. The word was first used in the English language to describe the physical sensation of touch either through experience or perception. The word is also used to describe physical sensation apart from touch such as "a feeling of warmth".^[1] In psychology the word is usually reserved for the conscious subjective experience of emotion.^[2] Phenomenology and heterophenomenology are philosophical approaches that provide some basis for knowledge of feelings. Many schools of psychotherapy depend on the therapist achieving some kind of understanding of the client's feelings, for which methodologies exist. Some theories of interpersonal relationships also have a role for shared feelings or understanding of another person's feelings.^{[citation needed]}

Perception of the physical world does not necessarily result in a universal reaction among receivers (see emotions), but varies depending on one's tendency to handle the situation, how the situation relates to the receiver's past experiences, and any number of other factors. Feelings are also known as a state of consciousness, such as that resulting from emotions, sentiments or desires.

[edit] Gut feeling

A gut feeling, or gut reaction, is a visceral emotional reaction to something, and often one of uneasiness. Gut feelings are generally regarded as not modulated by conscious thought.

The phrase "gut feeling" may also be used as a short-hand term for an individual's "common sense" perception of what is considered "the right thing to do"; such as: helping an injured passerby, avoiding dark alleys and generally acting in accordance with instinctive feelings about a given situation. It can also refer to simple common knowledge phrases which are true no matter when said, such as "Water is wet", "Fire is hot", and even individual beliefs in quotation, such as "Allan Cooper loves Ewyllen Sarver more" and other such statements (see "Truthiness" for further examples).

Gut feelings, like all reflexive unconscious comparisons, can be re-programmed by practice or experiences.

[edit] See also

• Affect or Affective
• Emotion
• Feeling rules
• Intuition
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
• Qualia
• Haptics
• Vedanā, the Buddhist concept of feeling
• Wiktionary: intuition
• Wiktionary: qualia
• Wiktionary: touch

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• "Feelings" Albert Morris. Video of the Quartet "SKAZ"
• A Dictonary of Feelings