Emotions

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Emotions play a critical role in the life of each person. Unfortunately, they are also complex and thinking about them can leave one bewildered. Because of this, perhaps, philosophers have typically spent much more time thinking and writing about states like beliefs and desires. Relatively recently, however, philosophers and psychologists have become very interested in developing systematic views in this crucial area. This course will introduce students to the most important historical and contemporary views of emotions. We will discuss questions like: What are emotions and what role should they play in a good human life? What is the relationship between emotions and rationality? Is my fear of flying, though I know it is a safe form of travel, irrational or just a sort of mental quirk? What is the relationship between emotions and morality? Clearly many evaluative judgments are deeply intertwined with emotional reactions, but is this a good and/or necessary feature of those judgments? To shed light on such questions, we will read the work of both classical and contemporary philosophers. Reading lists and specific topics addressed vary from semester to semester and from instructor to instructor, as do required work and expectations. Please consult the syllabi posted online by individual instructors for more detail.