ABSTRACT

The Mind's Affective Life is a refreshing and innovative examination of the relationship between feeling and thinking. Our thoughts and behaviour are shaped by both our emotions and reason; yet until recently most of the literature analysing thought has concentrated largely on philosophical reasoning and neglected emotions.
This book is an original and provocative contribution to the rapidly growing literature on the neglected "affective" dimensions of modern thought. The author draws on contemporary psychoanalysis, philosophy, feminist theory and recent innovations in neuroscience to argue that in order to to understand thought, we need to consider not only both emotional and rational aspects of thought but also the complex interactions between these different aspects. Only through such a rich and complicated understanding of modern thought can we hope to avoid what the author identifies as a significant contemporary problems for individuals and cultures; that is, suppression or denial of intolerable states of feeling.
The Mind's Affective Life will appeal to and inspire students and practitioners of philosophy, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and women's studies. It will also be of great interest to anyone interested in the interaction of feeling and thinking.

chapter |3 pages

Introduction

chapter Chapter 1|16 pages

The fragility of ‘pure reason'

chapter Chapter 2|13 pages

From philosophy to epistemophily

chapter Chapter 3|8 pages

Thinking affects

chapter Chapter 4|12 pages

A passion for reason

chapter Chapter 5|7 pages

Minding the body

chapter Chapter 6|12 pages

The terminology of affects

chapter Chapter 7|15 pages

Affective knowledge

chapter Chapter 8|16 pages

The price of maturity

chapter Chapter 9|9 pages

Towards affective literacy

chapter Chapter 10|12 pages

Affects and narratives

chapter Chapter 11|14 pages

Affects and identity

chapter Chapter 12|15 pages

Affects and indifference