>They aren’t. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Emotions get in the way of truth.

This isn't necessarily true. Emotions can get in the way of truth but not always.

In general, emotions are more "basic" than rational thought and have faster processing time, using less information - they evolved earlier after all. In a crisis where time is a crucial factor, emotions and instincts had the potential to save an organism. However, if time is not as pressing a concern, rational thought then gains the advantage in optimally exploiting a situation. As you say, I think humans make judgement calls based on emotion despite being capable of reasoning simply because people are naturally lazy. Logical thought is more taxing, requiring more energy and time.