CS 118 — Emotions — Spring 2002

Professor: Sizer

Office: ASH 103

Phone: 559-5619

E-mail: lsizer@hampshire.edu

Office Hours: M, W: 3:30 — 5:00pm.

Course Objectives

In a limited sense we are all experts on emotions. After all we have them every day. Nonetheless, we would be hard pressed to say precisely what emotions are. Are they bodily responses? Feelings? Thoughts? Why do we have them? What functions do they serve? Are emotions rational? Controllable? Are there universal emotions found across cultures? Do non-human animals have emotions? What are the relationships between emotions, moods and temperament? To answer these questions we need to look beyond our personal experiences and examine evidence and arguments offered by sciences such as philosophy, psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary theory. In the past decade there has been an explosion of research on emotions across the cognitive sciences. This class will focus on some of this recent literature. Students will read and critically analyze primary research articles, and will write a series of short papers and several longer papers.

Course Texts:

1. A Rulebook for Arguments, (RA) by A. Weston.

Available at Atticus Books in Amherst

2. Xeroxed readings (X). Packet available at Copycat in Amherst.

Course Requirements:

Short writing assignments/ response papers: Four short (2-3 pages, typed) writing assignments focused on the readings are due at various times throughout the semester. At the beginning of the semester you will sign up for four days. You are responsible for a short writing assignment commenting on the readings scheduled for each of those days — due in class on that day. For each of these assignments you must a) briefly summarize the reading, focusing on the thesis or claim being argued for and how the author argues for that claim; b) comment on the reading. Your comments should be formal and philosophical in content — focused on the arguments and positions presented in the reading. Work on presenting arguments (reasons, justifications) in support of your claims, not simply stating opinions.

Longer paper #1: This will be a longer (approximately 4-6 pages), formal philosophical paper on an assigned topic (you will have a choice of topics). This paper will go through a rough draft process. See schedule for due dates.

Even Longer paper #2: This paper is similar to the first in most respects, but will be longer (6-8 pages). I will distribute several paper topic suggestions, but you are encouraged to formulate your own topic. You must have your topic approved by me at least one month before the due date. This paper will also go through a rough draft process. See schedule for due dates.

In-class presentation: Each student will give a brief presentation of his/her final paper to the rest of the class.

Minimum requirements for receiving an evaluation:

1. Completing the 4 short writing assignments
2. Complete paper #1 (rough and final drafts)
3. Complete paper #2 (rough and final drafts)
4. In-class presentation
5. Portfolio handed in on last day of class

Requirements for receiving Division I credit: Your work must show sufficient effort and mastery of basics of ethical principles and philosophical reasoning and analysis.

Rules and Requirements — read carefully!

I do not accept late work. All assignments are due in class on the date specified in the syllabus. Any changes in due date will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to keep track of when things are due and any changes to the schedule. Note that since I do not accept late work, failure to hand an assignment in on time entails no credit for the assignment. This, in turn, entails no evaluation.

You are expected to attend class and arrive on time. If you are more than 5 minutes late for a class, don’t bother to show up. Arriving late is rude and interrupts the class. If you miss a significant number of classes this will affect your final evaluation.

If, because of religious or family obligations, serious illness or tragedy, you cannot hand an assignment in on time, or if you must miss the class day for which the peer review is scheduled, you must come talk to me about it before that day so that we can make other arrangements.

Plagiarism is a serious offense and will not be tolerated. If a student is found guilty of plagiarism he or she will not receive an evaluation for this class, and the case will be brought before the Dean. If you use the words or ideas of others (including text posted on a website) you must clearly identify the source in your work. Direct quotations must be placed in quotation marks and their sources cited. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, get them answered before you turn an assignment in. Ignorance of what counts as plagiarism is not a defense. It is your responsibility to be sure.

Tentative schedule of readings, topics and due dates -- REVISED

Note that this is a tentative schedule and hence subject to change. You are responsible for keeping track of any changes announced in class.

R 1/31: Introduction to class

T 2/5: Historical overview of the philosophy of emotions

R 2/7: Feeling & physiological theories:

Read: James, "What is an Emotion?"

Cannon, "The James-Lange Theory of Emotions: A Critical

T 2/12: Feeling & physiological theories:

Read: Schacter & Singer, "Cognitive, Social and Physiological

R 2/14: Cognitive theories:

Read: Solomon, "Emotions and Choice"

Stocker, "Emotional Thoughts"

T 2/19: Cognitive theories:

Read: Griffiths, from Chpt. 2 of What Emotions Really Are

Smith & Lazarus, "Appraisal components, core relational themes

R 2/21: The Affect/Cognition Debate:

Read: Zajonc, "On the Primacy of Affect"

T 2/26: The Affect/Cognition Debate:

Read: Lazarus, "On the primacy of cognition"

Panksepp, "A Proper Distinction Between Affective and Cognitive Processes…"

R 2/28: Are there ‘basic’ emotions?

Read: Ekman, "An Argument for Basic Emotions"

T 3/5: Are there ‘basic’ emotions?

Read: Ortony & Turner, "What’s basic about basic emotions?"

Ekman, "Are there basic emotions?"

Panksepp, "A Critical Role for ‘affective neuroscience’ in resolving

R 3/7: The evolution of emotions:

Read: Darwin, from The Expression of Emotions in Animals and Man

Due: Rough draft of paper #1

T 3/12: The evolution of emotions:

Read: Nesse, ‘Evolutionary Explanations of Emotion"

R 3/14: The evolution of emotions:

SPRING BREAK

T 3/26: The social construction of emotions:

Read: Harre, from The Social Construction of Emotions

Averill, "A constructivist view of emotion"

R 3/28: The social construction of emotions: continued discussion

T 4/2: Morality and the emotions:

Read: TBA

R 4/4: Morality and the emotions:

Read: Haidt, Koller & Dias, "Affect, culture and morality, or is it wrong to

T 4/9: Advising Day — no class

R 4/11: Morality and the emotions: continuing discussion

Due: last possible day to get final paper topics approved

T 4/16: Rationality and the emotions:

Read: Greenspan, "Emotional strategies and rationality"

R 4/18: Rationality and the emotions:

Read: Bechara & Damasio, "Emotion, decision-making and the

T 4/23: Moods, temperament & character traits:

Read: Ekman, "Moods, emotions and traits"

Frijda, "Varieties of Affect: emotions and episodes, moods and

Kagan, "Distinctions among emotions, moods and temperamental

R 4/25: Moods, temperament & character traits:

Read: Goldie, from The Emotions

T 4/30: In-class presentations

R 5/2: In-class presentations

T 5/7: Due: Final paper and portfolio