Emotion, Evolution and Rationality / Edition 1

by Dylan Evans, Pierre Cruse

Overview

For thousands of years, many Western thinkers have assumed that emotions are, at best, harmless luxuries, and at worst outright obstacles to intelligent action. In the past decade, however, scientists and philosophers have begun to challenge this 'negative view of emotion'. Neuroscientists, psychologists and researchers in artificial intelligence now agree that emotions are vital to intelligent action. Evolutionary considerations have played a vital role in this shift to a more positive view of emotion. This book brings together some of the leading thinkers about emotion from a variety of disciplines. In a series of fascinating and challenging essays, they examine the role that evolutionary considerations can play in helping us to understand the role of emotions in rational thought and decision-making. How should we understand the evolutionary role of emotions? And can this explain the relationship between emotions and rationality?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198528982
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	06/17/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

University of the West of England, Bristol

Universite Catholique de Louvain

Table of Contents

Part I - Neuroscientific Foundations1. William James and the modern neurobiology of emotion, Antonio Damasio2. Homologizing human emotions, Andrew Lawrence & Andrew CalderPart II - Emotion, Belief and Appraisal3. Emotional behaviour and the scope of belief-desire explanation, Finn Spicer4. Emotion, psychosemantics and embodied appraisals, Jesse Prinz5. Towards a 'Machiavellian' theory of emotional appraisal, Paul Griffiths6. Unpicking reasonable emotions, Brian ParkinsonPart III - Evolution and the Rationality of Emotion7. Evolution, culture and the irrationality of the emotions, Chandra Sripada & Stephen Stich8. The role of emotions in ecological and practical rationality, Gianmatteo Mameli9. The search hypothesis of emotion, Dylan Evans10. Adaptive illusions: optimism, control and human rationality, Daniel Nettle11. Emotion versus reason as a genetic conflict, Christopher BadcockPart IV - Philosophical Perspectives12. Conscience and conflict: Darwin, Freud and the origins of human aggression, Jim Hopkins13. Emotion, reason and virtue, Peter Goldie

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Schrift, DO (University of Washington School of Medicine)
Description: This is an interesting and scholarly new book covering the influence that emotion has on rational thought in the context of evolution. The book is derived from papers and presentations given at an international conference in April 2002 at King's College in London. Written and edited by influential individuals in the fields of neuroscience and philosophy, this book is a valuable contribution to cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and philosophy.
Purpose: The purpose is to explore for the reader the role that ideas derived from evolutionary theory can play in helping to answer the "age-old question of whether emotions are helpful or detrimental to rational thought and decision making." The editors and chapter authors have put together a very thought provoking book.
Audience: The intended audience includes neuroscientists, psychologists, and researchers in artificial intelligence.
Features: Part 1 of the book's four parts covers neuroscientific foundations and has an excellent chapter by Damasio on William James and the neurobiology of emotion. Part 2 focuses on emotion, belief, and appraisal. The chapter by Griffiths on a Machiavellian theory of emotional appraisal was fascinating. Part 3 is on evolution and the rationality of emotion and part 4 concludes with a philosophical perspective with an exceptional chapter on emotion, reason, and virtue. Each chapter ends with relevant and timely references and the book concludes with a helpful index section.
Assessment: This is an excellent, unique, and paradigm-changing book on emotion's effect on rational thinking from an evolutionary perspective. I highly recommend it.

Doody's Review Service

3 Stars from Doody