The Emotional Mind: A Control Theory of Affective States

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Cambridge University Press, 2018 - Philosophy - 234 pages
In this book, Tom Cochrane develops a new control theory of the emotions and related affective states. Grounded in the basic principle of negative feedback control, his original account outlines a new fundamental kind of mental content called 'valent representation'. Upon this foundation, Cochrane constructs new models for emotions, pains and pleasures, moods, expressive behaviours, evaluative reasoning, personality traits and long-term character commitments. These various states are presented as increasingly sophisticated layers of regulative control, which together underpin the architecture of the mind as a whole. Clearly structured and containing numerous diagrams and examples to illustrate the discussion, this study draws on the latest research from fields including philosophy, psychology and neuroscience, and will appeal to readers interested in the philosophy and cognitive science of emotion.
 

Contents

Valent Representation
13
Affect
42
Emotions
66
Bodily Feelings
89
Expression
115
Conscious Thought
138
Personality and Character
159
Control
181
Appendix Emotion Dimensions
203
Glossary
212
Index
231
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About the author (2018)

Tom Cochrane is Lecturer in Philosophy at Flinders University in Adelaide. He is a co-editor of The Emotional Power of Music (2013) and he has also published numerous articles on emotions, aesthetic value and the expressive powers of music.

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