PsyBlog is releasing a new series on emotions. If this article is anything to judge by, it will be quite good.
Hopefully, this kind of research will help to dispel common myths about emotions, such as the idea that they are ‘irrational’, simply ‘feelings’, and hazardous to the flourishing of the human.
The Wikipedia article on Nico Frijda states:
Emotions are, in this view, tendencies to engage in behaviour influenced by the needs of the person.
Sounds pretty rational to me.
I would (and will later) argue that rationality is actually bounded by emotion, that emotion dictates rationality, and that only an idiot could argue that emotion could ever be opposed to it.
From an existential perspective, the most notable law is probably ‘The Law of Concern’ – in regards to passion:
We feel because we care about something, when we have some interest in what happens, whether it’s to an object, ourselves, or another person. Emotions arise from these particular goals, motivations or concerns. When we are unconcerned we don’t feel anything.
