Emotion: an introductory picture

What is emotion? This free course, Emotion: an introductory picture, takes a philosophical approach to this question in an attempt to understand why people respond to events in a certain way. Is there a difference between an emotion and a bodily feeling or is one a consequence of the other?

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Introduction: a picture of emotion
• 1 Introduction: a picture of emotion
• 2 The ‘What is…?’ question
• 2 The ‘What is…?’ question
• 2.1 Philosophy and science
• 2.2 Identifying emotions
• 2.3 Essential properties and central cases
• 2.4 Components, causes and effects
• 3 Emotions as bodily feelings
• 3 Emotions as bodily feelings
• 3.1 William James
• 3.2 Understanding James's account
• 3.3 Emotion, motivation and action
• 3.4 Cognitive and non-cognitive states
• 3.5 Emotions as passions
• 3.6 Assessing James's argument
• Conclusion
• References
• Acknowledgements