to have passion or to reason?

I am perplexed by the idea that a species that has the ability to reason can exist without passion as the Houyhnhnms in Gulliver's travels do. Their lives on a day to day basis seems mudane and chore filled. On the other hand, the Houyhnhnms are wise and able to make decisions without the confusion of emotions being involved. But i have to wonder... which is better... reason or passion? The Houyhnhnms are described as follows "courtship, love, presents, jointures, settlements, have no place in their thoughts or terms whereby to express them in their language"(swift 466). Of course, i have to admit that I as a human cannot fathom the thought that there is no possibility that they can not even express a feeling if they had one because of the lack of words to describe it. They do not have to worry about others feelings or their own but at what cost to them. They are going through their lives without love and to me that seems impossible to do. But if you have never felt love than how do you know what you are missing?
When speaking of the differences between humans and Houyhnhnms Gulliver states "Neither is reason among them a point problematical as with us,where men can argue with plausibilty on both sides of the question; but strikes you with immediate conviction;as it must mingled, obscured, or discolored by passion and interest" (swift 465). I believe passion can cause confusion when it comes to solving problems but that it is necessary to look at issues from others perspectives too. The Houyhnhnms are completely one sided and see no other options. But here is the real issue, can we as people exist without passion? If we could look at life with reason instead of passion, could we solve problems that we could never solve otherwise. The Houyhnhnms do not have war, hunger, or disputes. They go through life never wanting or feeling. But as humans would we give up love, passion, or happiness for the life of a Houyhnhnm?