VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.
The Philosophy of Feelings
Philosophie der Gefühle
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:24:19
Abstract
Overview of contemporary philosophical explorations relating to emotions.
Objective
Students will become acquainted with philosophical thinking about emotions. They will learn to think for themselves and to read, as well as interpret, philosophical text concerning this subject.
Content
Feelings like anger, irritation, shame, love and pleasure are common and well known to all of us. But if one asks what emotions are exactly, the answer is difficult, the concept appears vague. It is unclear how to separate emotions from perceptions, desires, motives, attitudes, beliefs, moods, impulses or inclinations. Such differences are typically irrelevant in everyday life. But if one wants to discover what role emotions play in cognition, in moral justifications or in education etc., the question "what are emotions really?” is put into context, a context that assists in clarifying what an answer to this question may look like. The difference between emotions, desires and beliefs for example becomes clear and relevant when one tries to analyse their role in the justification of actions: To destroy something out of anger is not the same as to do it for the sake of removing an obstacle or in order to fulfil an (alleged) commitment. It is to be anlysed, if a unified concept of emotion can be developed from such different contexts. Furthermore, the question of whether different emotions such as anger, fear, love, indignation and shame require different answers to the question of what emotions are and what they are for is to be asked. Emotions have became a significant focus of debate in contemporary philosophy. A debate in which the thinking of classical philosophers and the exploration of everyday-phenomena is important, and a debate in which scientific research on the brain of humans and animals also plays a role. In this seminar we discuss texts that give insight into this debate, including texts from: Christoph Demmerling, Ronald de Sousa, Jon Elster, Peter Goldie, Paul Griffith, Eva Illouz, Hilge Landweer, Martin Löw-Beer, Martha Nussbaum, Amélie Rorty, Ursula Wolf and Richard Wollheim.
Resources
Literature
Wird zu Beginn der Veranstaltung angegeben
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- DS , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar | Philosophie der Gefühle |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
-
Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (In order to be awarded credits, please register under "Pflichtwahlfach GESS"!. The language courses are offered by the ETH and University of Zurich Language Center.)
-
-
-
-
-