ABSTRACT

This book is an account of the psychology of romantic love in the context of a theory of emotions. The account develops out of studies in brain psychology and the extension to topics in process-philosophy, such as the nature of value and belief, and the central role of feeling in mental process. The approach is subjectivist, that is, from the internal standpoint, and in this respect it differs greatly from the externalist and objectivist trends in modern cognitive science and empiricist philosophy. Love is the ultimate in value, so that a theory of love is also a theory of the nature of value and its relation to feeling, belief, and to drive and desire. The role of intention, reason, and appraisal is critiqued. The relation to other feelings, such as jealousy, envy, anger, loss and grief is discussed in terms of a general theory of emotion and the basis in a process account of the mind/brain state.

chapter 1|20 pages

Falling in love

chapter 2|29 pages

Theory of the emotions

chapter 3|27 pages

Love and desire

chapter 5|24 pages

Desire for things

chapter 7|16 pages

Pornography and perversion

chapter 8|26 pages

Kindness and compassion

chapter 9|24 pages

Belief and value

chapter 10|21 pages

Philosophy of romantic love