Philosophy of Emotion

Module title	Philosophy of Emotion
Module code	PHL3110
Academic year	2022/3
Credits	30
Module staff	Professor Giovanna Colombetti (Lecturer)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	30

Module description

Emotion is now a central topic in many areas of philosophy – from ethics, to aesthetics, to philosophy of mind and cognitive science. This is an in-depth module that addresses emotions primarily as mental states, and asks what kind of mental states emotions are. In the first half of the module we will discuss whether emotions are bodily or cognitive (or perhaps both), whether they are necessarily felt or can also be unconscious, and how they relate to moods. In the second half we will look at the debate between naturalistic and social constructionist accounts of emotions, and at a variety of other specific questions – such as: are emotions necessarily positive or negative? What kind of emotions do we experience when reading or watching fiction? Can emotions be “epistemic”? What is the relation between feelings, emotional expression, and language? Are there “aesthetic emotions”?

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will learn about somatic and cognitive theories of emotions, about accounts of emotions as unconscious mental states, and different views of the relation between emotions and moods. You will also learn about naturalistic and social constructionist accounts of the emotions, about different views on the “valence” of emotions, and about philosophical accounts of the relation between emotions, facial and bodily expressions, and language. Whereas the module will cover mainly philosophical theories of emotion, you will also learn about psychological and sociological accounts of the emotions. You will become familiar primarily with recent and contemporary works on these topics (form mid-nineteenth Century to current works).

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. systematically illustrate a variety of philosophical accounts of the emotions;
2. identify specific philosophical problems in the study of emotion;
3. critically evaluate a variety of accounts of the nature of emotions whilst developing your own perspective.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

4. systematically illustrate a variety of philosophical positions on a specific topic;
5. evaluate, orally and in writing, different philosophical positions;
6. distinguish between sound and unsound arguments, and develop philosophically informed considerations about them.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

7. engage in complex arguments verbally as an individual and in small groups;
8. critically engage with and report accurately on existing written material.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover different philosophical theories of emotion, and focus on most of the following themes:

- Emotion and the Body
- Emotion and Cognition
- Emotion and Feeling
- Emotion and Expression
- Emotion and Reason
- Emotion and Mood
- Unconscious Emotions
- Positive and Negative Emotions
- Universal and Socially Constructed Emotions
- Emotion, Language and Narratives

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	44	Weekly 2-hour lectures/seminars or 1 hour weekly lecture + 1 hour weekly seminar
Guided Independent Study	65	Assigned readings associated with each lecture
Guided Independent Study	7	Preparation for class discussion
Guided Independent Study	57	Preparation for first assigned essay
Guided Independent Study	57	Preparation for second assigned essay
Guided Independent Study	70	Preparation for exam

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
4 take-home essays (past essays by former students, anonymised) to read, mark, and provide feedback on.	7 hours	5-8	1-hr class discussion, oral comments by lecturer.

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
60	40	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay 1	30	2,000 words	1-8	Written
Essay 2	30	2,000 words	1-8	Written
Essay 3	40	2,500 words	1-8	Written
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay 1	Essay (2,000 words)	1-8	August/September reassessment period
Essay 2	Essay (2,000 words)	1-8	August/September reassessment period
Essay 3	Essay (2,500 words)	1-8	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Deonna, J. & Teroni, F. (2012). The Emotions: A Philosophical Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Goldie, P. (2000). The Emotions: A Philosophical Exploration. Oxford University Press.

James, W. (1884). What is an emotion? Mind, 9, pp. 188-205.

Solomon, R. (2007). True to our Feelings: What our Emotions Are Really Telling Us. Oxford University Press.

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Key words search

Philosophy; emotion; affect; body; mind; cognition

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	none
Module co-requisites	none
NQF level (module)	6
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	12/05/2017
Last revision date	26/01/2022