Abstract

Using the methods of contemporary analytical philosophy, the author proposes a theory of emotion which centers on the claim that emotions are thought dependent phenomena, but not merely composed of thoughts. Emotions are viewed as complex states composed of substates, including thoughts, sensations, desires, felt inclinations, physiological changes, and behavior. Emotions are patterns of relations among these substates. The author discusses the notions of felt emotion, teleology of emotions, objects of emotion, and the thought dependency of emotions in the light of this proposal. The essay concludes with a discussion of the case of little Hans