Andrea Scarantino, "Emotion Theory: The Routledge Comprehensive Guide" (Routledge, 2024)
Dec 10, 2024
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In this engaging discussion, Andrea Scarantino, a Professor of Philosophy at Georgia State University, introduces his groundbreaking two-volume work, 'Emotion Theory: The Routledge Comprehensive Guide.' He explores the complexities of defining emotions and the challenges faced in interdisciplinary communication. Scarantino highlights unique cultural expressions of emotions and their physiological responses while shedding light on the historical evolution of emotion theory. The conversation illuminates how emotions serve both natural and normative roles in our lives, making it a must-listen for psychology enthusiasts.
The edited collection 'Emotion Theory: The Routledge Comprehensive Guide' synthesizes diverse perspectives from 101 experts across multiple disciplines to explore the essence of emotions.
Andrea Scarantino emphasizes the necessity of enhancing cross-disciplinary communication to address the fragmentation in emotion theory and promote collaboration.
The anthology highlights the essential functions of emotions, presenting them as adaptive tools that facilitate decision-making, relationships, and moral judgments in human life.
Deep dives
Overview of Emotion Theory
A newly published two-volume edited collection titled 'Emotion Theory, The Rutledge Comprehensive Guide' brings together 62 chapters from 101 leading experts across various disciplines including philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and sociology. The collection addresses the multifaceted question of what constitutes an emotion, providing a comprehensive overview of the field's history and its current landscape. It serves as an accessible resource, synthesizing diverse perspectives that often do not engage with one another. This anthology is intended for both scholars and students, offering introductions that clarify various theories of emotion and their methodologies.
Andrea Scarantino's Journey into Philosophy
Andrea Scarantino shares his path into the realm of philosophy, beginning with early skepticism that prompted him to explore philosophical questions at a young age. Despite parental resistance, he pursued formal education in economics before transitioning to a master's degree in philosophy, which he found to be fulfilling. His eventual acceptance into a PhD program played a crucial role in his academic development, particularly in understanding the empirical bases of philosophical inquiries. Scarantino was driven by a desire to explore emotions and their complexities, leading to the ambition of compiling a foundational text on emotion theory.
Challenges in Emotion Theory
Scarantino highlights the contentious nature of emotion theory, noting the lack of consensus and the fragmented discourse across disciplines. This chaos has historically been exacerbated by cross-disciplinary communication barriers, with researchers often unknowingly talking past each other. The necessity for a common language in emotional research is emphasized, suggesting that improving communication could facilitate collaboration among theorists. Scarantino's monumental work aims to bridge these gaps, promoting a unified understanding of emotional phenomena while embracing the diversity of perspectives.
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
Volume one of the collection examines the historical development of emotion theory, tracing its evolution from ancient Greece to modern times. This temporal journey includes analyses from a range of cultural contexts, revealing how emotions have been conceptualized differently across eras and societies. In the second part of this volume, contemporary theories emerge, including perspectives on basic emotions and appraisal theories introduced in the mid-20th century. By ending the historical context in the 1950s, the text posits that significant theoretical developments in emotion studies underwent a paradigm shift around that time.
Functional Value of Emotions
The vital functions of emotions are celebrated in Scarantino's anthology, arguing as a group that emotions are essential for multiple aspects of human life. A master table summarizing the definitions, manifestations, and functions of 35 distinct emotions serves as a core feature in the second volume. This table highlights how emotions are not merely irrational responses but integral components that assist decision-making, interpersonal relationships, and moral judgments. In fact, nearly all emotions discussed have been recognized for their adaptive functions, framing emotions as tools that help navigate human experiences rather than impediments.
This interview is an exception to our “single author monographs” rule, because the edited collection that is its topic is an intellectual achievement worth making an exception for in over 12 years of New Books in Philosophy podcasts. Emotion Theory: The Routledge Comprehensive Guide: Volume I and Volume II (Routledge, 2024) is a two-volume compendium of 62 chapters on emotion theory written by 101 leading theorists from philosophy, psychology, biology, sociology, neuroscience, and other fields, all grappling with the question: What is an emotion? Editor Andrea Scarantino, who is a professor of philosophy at George State University, has compiled a synoptic and thematically organized collection that covers the history of emotion theory, the main contemporary theories of emotions, individual chapters on 35 distinct emotions, and more. The volumes bring together theorists from distinct disciplines that don’t normally engage with each others’ work, and provide readers with a one-stop-shop for clearly written introductions to the current states of play in emotion research.
Andrea Scarantino is Professor of Philosophy at Georgia State University, where he has taught since 2005.
Carrie Figdor is professor of philosophy at the University of Iowa.