Reason and Passion need not conflict. Reason without passion is dusty, dry, and dead. Reason without passion leads to moral relativity. If nothing moves the thinker to passion, then all subjects are equal and without distinction. As well to discuss the economic benefits of the euthanasia of infants as the artistic merits of urinals.

Passion without reason brings the indiscriminate energy of a summer's thunderstorm. Too much energy unbound, without direction, it's fury as constant as the winds of the air.

Passion provides energy, the drive to accomplish, change, improve, or destroy. Reason provides direction. Reason channels Passion and achieves goals by identifying targets, foci, leverage points. Passion powers Reason. It brings motive power. Passion knows that things must be done and that change is possible. Reason knows how change may be effected.

I was reminded of the fallacy of Passion without Reason recently. At lunch with a friend, she talked about working with a non-profit organization. Workers for non-profits epitomize those who are driven by Passion. Agree or disagree with their aims, you must admit that they earnestly mean to change the world. My friend, who comes from the profit-driven corporate world, was explaining some aspects of statistical process control and how it could be applied to improve fundraising results on their website. She was told that she needed to have more heart and feel for those unfortunates that this group helps.

Her critic obviously felt that her approach was too analytical. Too driven by Reason, not enough Passion. In fact, the opposite was true. She was applying the combination of Reason and Passion. Passion showed her that the cause was worthy and that she could help. Reason showed her where leverage could be gained and a small effort input could result in a large change in output.

In various disfunctional organizations which I have inhabited, I've seen many examples of the opposite. Reason reveals problems and solutions to those poor sapient cogs in the low levels of the machine. They lack the Passion to see that change is possible and so divest themselves of the power to improve their own lot in life. Problems or challenges will always overcome such people, because they give the problem power and remove it from themselves.