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PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHYTHE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICEwww.practical-philosophy.org.uk www.society-for-philosophy-in-practice.org |
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PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHYTHE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICEwww.practical-philosophy.org.uk www.society-for-philosophy-in-practice.org |
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Midwest Studies in Philosophy Vol. XXII: The Philosophy of Emotions
Peter A. French and Howard K. Wettstein (eds)
1999 Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press,
pp. 312ISBN 0-268-01442-2 (pb), £18.50, 0-268-01443-4 (hb),
£31.50.
Practical Philosophy (Book Reviews) November 2001 Volume 4.2
Reviewed by: Trevor Curnow
This is a collection of fifteen previously unpublished essays by different authors, all of which, in some way or other, address the issue of emotion. More than one contributor expresses the view that there is much for philosophers to learn from experts in other disciplines when dealing with this issue. Nancy Sherman, for example (p. 108), suggests that 'an integrative approach bringing moral philosophy and empirical and clinical studies in psychology together is long overdue.' In a similar vein, Robert Solomon (p. 3) points out that: 'Philosophers in general, to this day, seem not yet to have discovered the significance of the face in emotion theory, despite the fact that this has all but ruled the work of the psychologists across the hall for more than twenty years.' Nevertheless, the authors themselves are almost all from a philosophy background, and the psychologists across the hall are not represented. Fortunately, however, philosophers being philosophers, it is variety rather than uniformity that is the hallmark of the collection.
Insofar as it is possible to generalise about the contents of the papers, they tend to fall into two broad categories. Whereas some are concerned with enhancing our understanding of emotions as such, others are more tightly focused on one or two emotions in particular. In the latter group are papers examining such emotional phenomena as anger, empathy, love and pride. A recurrent theme that extends across both categories is the extent to which emotions have to be understood as possessing a cognitive dimension.
In contrast to many philosophers of the past who, when writing about emotions (especially in the context of ethics) were inclined to be very wary of them (to the point of outright hostility in some cases), modern scholars tend to be more indulgent. However, indulgence is only to be entertained up to a point; as Steven Horst puts it (p. 58): 'As with all of the passions, we must navigate between the unacceptable extremes of hating our own natures and taking them as a good guide to conduct.'
This observation helps to locate many of the essays within a wider context. The search for a better understanding of the emotions is rarely pursued for its own sake. An understanding of the emotions is generally seen as a prelude to deciding what we can and should do about them. The extent to which we are (or can be) in control of our emotions is an issue that exercises more than one of the contributors. It is also one of obvious interest to philosophical counsellors.
As a collection of recent writings by recognised figures in the area, the book is a useful resource for those wishing to expand their familiarity with it. Each of the essays has its own specific insights to offer, and together they constitute a helpful and panoramic introduction to an important subject. One word of warning may be appropriate, however. Those prone to depression may prefer to avoid reading John Morreall's paper on 'The Emotions of Television'!
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