The Self and its Emotions

Description

If there is one value that seems beyond reproach in modernity, it is that of the self and the terms that cluster around it, such as self-esteem, self-confidence and self-respect. It is not clear, however, that all those who invoke the self really know what they are talking about, or that they are all talking about the same thing. What is this thing called 'self', then, and what is its psychological, philosophical and educational salience? More specifically, what role do emotions play in the creation and constitution of the self? This book proposes a realist, emotion-grounded conception of selfhood. In arguing for a closer link between selfhood and emotion than has been previously suggested, the author critically explores and integrates self research from diverse academic fields. This is a provocative book that should excite anyone interested in cutting-edge research on self-issues and emotions that lies at the intersection of psychology, philosophy of mind, moral philosophy and moral education.

Kristjan Kristjansson received his PhD in moral philosophy from the University of St Andrews, Scotland. He has taught at the University of Akureyri, Iceland and at the University of Iceland, where he is currently Professor of Philosophy of Education.

Review of the hardback: 'The Self and Its Emotions reads as the expression of just the kind of robust self whose existence it defends - a unified voice that consistently expresses a stable set of core commitments, values and beliefs in a wide range of contexts. It is a voice worth hearing.' Marya Schechtman, The Times Literary Supplement Review of the hardback: 'In his excellent and original book, Professor Kristjansson rightly emphasizes how important emotional education is for our well-being and for that of our children. The valuable role of emotions in education cannot be better articulated.' Aaron Ben-Ze'ev, President, University of Haifa 'The chapters of [The Self and Its Emotions] serve as positive models in their own right, demonstrating how a philosopher's critical tools and conceptual overview can carve clarity and purpose out of today's many-voiced, multidisciplinary discussions of self-knowledge and moral identity.' Frances Bottenberg, Philosophical Psychology Review of the hardback: 'Professor Kristjan Kristjansson has a strong claim to the leading light in the contemporary philosophical study of key topics in moral psychology and moral education, and The Self and its Emotions is the latest and arguably the best of the many full-length works in this field that this distinguished scholar has produced in recent years.' David Carr, University of Edinburgh Review of the hardback: 'In this scholarly, well-referenced volume, Kristjan Kristjansson challenges the dominant perspective and presents an alternative paradigm of the self. He contextualizes and summarizes both historical and contemporary thought as he argues that the self is best understood in terms of emotional responses instead of actions ... The Self and Its Emotions is an excellent resource for philosophers and rationalists alike and is of interest to psychologists, sociologists, educators, philosophers - anyone who is interested in moral education or in life's loftier questions of 'Who am I?' and who is willing to persevere beyond the introduction of this well-written tome.' Reshma Naidoo, PsycCritiques Review of the hardback: 'This book is of interest both for its theoretical account of the self and for the practical implications of the author's view of moral education and character development. Although this is a scholarly work, faculty, researchers, and graduate students will find that its interdisciplinary focus and clear style make it a pleasant read. It is not an introductory work, but a very determined undergraduate or general reader could make it through ... Recommended ...' M. W. Sontag, Choice Review of the hardback: 'The writing is intended for an interdisciplinary audience and is not overly technical, even though it employs much philosophical terminology. I am impressed by the breadth of this book and favour Kristjansson's methodology, a Humean account of moral psychology building on both Aristotle and contemporary psychology ...' Sylvia Burrow, Metapsychology