--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People aren't rational. We're not…" description: "\"People aren't rational. We're not thinking machines, we're - we're feeling machines that happen to think.\" — Peter Watts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/peter-watts-4020_computers_people-aren-t-rational-we-re-not-thinkin_21197.png" --- # People aren't rational. We're not thinking machines, we're… ![“People aren't rational. We're not thinking machines, we're - we're feeling machines that happen to think.” quote by Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/peter-watts-4020_computers_people-aren-t-rational-we-re-not-thinkin_21197.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/peter-watts-4020_computers_people-aren-t-rational-we-re-not-thinkin_21197.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/peter-watts-4020_computers_people-aren-t-rational-we-re-not-thinkin_21197.png) > “People aren't rational. We're not thinking machines, we're - we're feeling machines that happen to think.” [Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans are driven by emotions, and rationality is a secondary overlay to our affective nature. **In simple terms:** Emotion precedes logic. Key Takeaway Feelings shape thought. Themes Human nature Emotion Cognition Rationality Psychology Mood Reflective Introspective Thoughtful Type Philosophical Observational When to use this quote - Personal relationships - Leadership decisions - Creative work - Conflict resolution Key Concepts Affective bias Decision making Neuroscience Practical Applications - Designing empathetic AI - Improving negotiation strategies Questions to Reflect On - How do emotions influence your daily choices? - When can rationality override feeling? A Different Perspective Rational analysis can dominate in high-stakes, data-driven contexts, mitigating emotional bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rational thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-thinking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Human beings aren't rational animals; we're rationalizing animals who want to appear reasonable to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-aronson/human-beings-aren-t-rational-animals-we-re-rationalizing-animals-who/) [Elliot Aronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-aronson/) > [We are not thinking machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-watts/we-are-not-thinking-machines/) [Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watts/) > [Some people just aren't rational , they assume everything and then they stick with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-just-aren-t-rational-they-assume-everything-and-then-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are not thinking machines that feel; rather, we are feeling machines that think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/we-are-not-thinking-machines-that-feel-rather-we-are-feeling-machines/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Our computers double in capability on time scales of only a few years. 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