Emotion: The Basics

What are emotions? Why are emotions important in our lives? Emotion: The Basics answers these questions, and in doing so provides accounts of the nature and value of particular emotions that are central to human existence.The overarching message is that our lives, both individual and social, would be significantly impoverished without the emotions.

Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 The Nature of Emotion How to do philosophy (of emotion) Some complications Three theories of emotion A different theoretical perspective Chapter 2 Emotion, Knowledge, and Understanding Curiosity Emotion, attention, and understanding Emotion and intellectual virtue Chapter 3 Emotion and Action Emotions and decisions Motivation, dispositions, and desires The role of feeling in motivation Chapter 4 Emotions and Social Groups Love and commitment Pride and the communication of virtue The social value of group emotion Chapter 5 Emotion, Morality, and Art Emotion and morality The arts and emotion Glossary Bibliography