Philosophy and the 'Passions' or Emotions. Good Books? For Rationalists, not emotivists!?

Question

I am directing this question towards a more rationalist crowd, and am not concerned with emotivism at this present time. From what I have read from those advocating emotions to be 'logical' and 'rational' and am severely bored with their works (I.e. Robert Solomon). I want an good philosophical work on the emotions and how they are viewed by the reasonable mind. I realize this debate has become redundant, but I am not downplaying the emotions--I am just a realist in philosophy looking for a book on the emotions and how someone who believes they should be submissive to rationality can understand them better--enough to be able to think and write about them more. Any suggestions on a book to begin with?

Answer 1

Well if you're looking for a rational account of emotions themselves, you may want to be reading psychology, not philosophy. However, if you want a philosophical treatment of the rational mind's relationship to the emotions, you can do no better than Plato's Republic. He gives a thorough account of what he thinks the human soul consists of (including the rational mind and the emotions), and how they relate to one another.

Answer 2

You should look into Stoic philosophers like Seneca the Younger or Marcus Aurelius. You might find though that emotions can be a product of being rational. You also may find that the Greek word 'pathos' which is often translated as passion, actually refers to a sense of anguish. Not all emotions are results of pain. Passion itself can occur from intuitive reasoning. In other words, the head and heart are capable of working together to cause rational & just emotions.

Answer 3

I suggest taking a different track - as background - scan Joseph Chilton Pearce's "Biology of Transcendence" in regard to the evolution of feeling/emotions and development of the 5-fold brain, and then with that as background, explore the NLP (neurolinguistic programming) approach to locating the source of emotion/thought/action and delinking experience. THEN go back to the first (modern) philosopher, Meister Eckhardt, and read his sermon on "disinterest (in creatures) as the highest virtue." Then read Spinoza regarding "conatus" (preservation of being) and the highest virtue.

One's "passion" is related to love/interest, not emotion. Other than grief, emotions are chemistry - imprinted egoic reactions based on experiences of loss, fear and shame. They inhibit the power of "being" reasonable.

Answer 4

Start with Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics.

Answer 5

I would read some neuroscience books which show how all human beings utilise both reason and emotion bilaterally instead of trying to tip to either extreme.Don't trip you'll fall.

Answer 6

Martha Nussbaum is your best bet in this regard. Highly recommended.