The Emotional Mind
A Control Theory of Affective States

Develops an original control theory of emotions and related affective states, providing new perspectives on the mind as a whole.

Tom Cochrane (Author)

9781108429672, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 January 2019

244 pages, 20 b/w illus. 3 tables
23.5 x 15.8 x 1.7 cm, 0.47 kg

'Cochrane's wide-ranging book makes valuable contributions to a wide variety of topics … [His] intricate, sensitive discussions of particular emotional phenomena combined with his broad survey of the contemporary literature make it valuable for anyone with an interest in the affective mind.' Ethics

In this book, Tom Cochrane develops a new control theory of the emotions and related affective states. Grounded in the basic principle of negative feedback control, his original account outlines a new fundamental kind of mental content called 'valent representation'. Upon this foundation, Cochrane constructs new models for emotions, pains and pleasures, moods, expressive behaviours, evaluative reasoning, personality traits and long-term character commitments. These various states are presented as increasingly sophisticated layers of regulative control, which together underpin the architecture of the mind as a whole. Clearly structured and containing numerous diagrams and examples to illustrate the discussion, this study draws on the latest research from fields including philosophy, psychology and neuroscience, and will appeal to readers interested in the philosophy and cognitive science of emotion.

1. Valent representation
2. Affect
3. Emotions
4. Bodily feelings
5. Expression
6. Conscious thought
7. Personality and character
8. Control
Appendix: emotion dimensions
Glossary
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR], Psychology: emotions [JMQ], Philosophy of mind [HPM]