Meta-Emotions and the Making of Self-Esteem
We are conflicted creatures. What often seems easiest is rarely what we must do. Our instincts have not prepared us for the civilization and the affluence that we have today.…
Surviving on the Recognition of Others
Let’s pretend we can sort people into two groups. There are those who see themselves as independent, as not needing any relationships for comfort or approval, but can also be…
Emotion Is Variation in the Pursuit of a Goal
Why do we have so many negative emotions? Why, when we get angry or sad, do we want to avoid the anger or sadness rather than deal with it directly?…
Our Situation and the Reason of Emotion
For a long time, since the beginning of philosophy, a thick line has been drawn between the passions and reason. And intuitively, this partition seems justified. It is when we…
A Curiosity of Attention
Especially today, we have a hard time understanding the erratic behavior of our own attention. It is our gateway into the conscious world, and for some reason, we can barely…
Qualia and the Roots of Experience
Have you ever been unable to describe to someone what your experiencing? Not simply because it is so complicated or the person you are talking to just won’t understand, but…
Humanity as Artist: History, Freedom, and Facticity
When we think about art, we think about the fine arts; we think of the painter who labors over an idea, reclusive, subordinating all practical necessities to perfect an ideal…
Self-Expansion Theory: Others as Dignified Instruments
To begin describing the motivation behind social behaviors already runs the risk of treating the experience of hate, love, and all the vigorous social emotions, as mechanical and without dignity…
The Self Is a Long-Term Goal
What makes humans different from animals? One can list many things, but ultimately the most significant answer comes as a major shift in our ability to think using representatives of…
How Emotion Adds Intelligence to Instinct
An introduction to how emotions come from instincts and how they help us make decisions before we act.