The Agency in Emotion

• Applicant: Hichem Naar, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Practical Philosophy ; Theoretical Philosophy
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 422216360

This research project aims at developing and assessing the neglected but intriguing view that emotions can be, and often are, genuine products of agency. Although emotions are often thought of as passive phenomena, they share with actions certain features – in particular their responsiveness to reasons – that motivate systematic investigation. The working hypothesis of this research project is that a carefully worked out and detailed analogy between emotions and actions can shed light on the nature of emotions in novel ways. To this end, the project will conduct the first sustained and large-scale application of insights in action theory and the metaphysics of agency to the theory of emotion. It is expected that the immediate result of this inquiry will be the introduction of a promising theory of emotion that contrasts with dominant contemporary views in significant ways. In particular, the view to be developed contrasts with the dominant epistemic sentimentalist view according to which emotion’s role in agency is exclusively a matter of providing epistemic access to the value of things, and thereby making available a reason to respond to these things in certain ways. This research project will introduce three new challenges facing the epistemic sentimentalist view, which together prepare an account I call the ‘grounding view’. This account sees emotions as psychological states that are based on, rather than constituting, evaluations. According to the working hypothesis, a conception of emotions as intrinsically agential provides the best account of both emotions’ relation to value and the significance of emotions in our lives. It is expected that this inquiry will have important ramifications for the ethical and social roles of emotions, which have been left unnoticed in recent philosophy of emotion.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants