The Thomistic Institute Is Anything More Tortuous than the Human Heart? I Prof. Steven Jensen
Jun 25, 2025
Prof. Steven Jensen, a philosophy professor at the University of St. Thomas, dives deep into the intricate relationship between emotions and will. He discusses how feelings like love, guilt, and pride influence moral decision-making. Jensen analyzes the cycles of envy and despair, highlighting their destructive impact on individuals and society. He underscores the role of love and meaning in overcoming these challenges, emphasizing the complexities of the human heart and the moral psychology behind our passions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Human Heart's Two Desires
- The human heart consists of intertwined emotions and will, both desiring powers but arising from different kinds of awareness.
- Emotions stem from sense knowledge and focus on particular goods, while the will arises from reason and seeks the good in general.
Two Types of Emotions
- Emotions divide into concupiscible (simple goods/bads) and irascible (difficult goods/bads with obstacles).
- Hope and despair motivate movement towards difficult goods, while anger seeks justice against difficult evils.
Compulsive Desire Cycles
- Compulsive desires like overeating arise from a cycle of anxiety, pleasure seeking, and guilt.
- Guilt, a sorrow over wrongdoing, can provoke self-perpetuating feedback loops worsening compulsive behavior.