V FUNCTIONS OF SELECT EMOTIONS
Not much had been written or thought about functions or divisions of the psuche when Plato began his work. The psuche had been dealt with as one single entity. When he wrote his last works, there were motions, parts and structures galore, very much by merit of his own achievement. Emotions were among these things. Price (1995, 70) estimated that "Plato's neglect of most of the emotions was over- determined", but this seems a bit far-fetched. Plato's psychological doctrine was not a systematic body (Copleston, 1993, 215). Plato's dialogue form was not perhaps very apt for systematizing his psychology, especially when one remembers its nature as an auxiliary science, especially for ethics, as Copleston also remarks. In his works there are abundant materials on emotions, but an account of them must be constructed from unsystematic remarks, as also noted by Irwin (1977, 192) for appetite. In other words, the problem is not lack of material, but locating and analyzing it. This poses methodological problems, as is always the case when something has to be selected. One should be careful not to give rise to a systematic bias for any reason, for instance according to one's own conscious or unconscious preferences. But it is impossible
This is illustrative of Plato's handling of emotions in general. The logic of the following exposition proceeds by way of considering the specific emotions are considered one by one. The discussion seems to take it for granted that also a brave man can feel fear. For reasons that will become more obvious later it is suitable to begin with fear. The Athenians conceived the whole undertaking to be directed against themselves in reprisal of Marathon. Often a conflict is involved, and the emotions have to assume the role of counselor, sometimes wise and trustworthy, sometimes foolish. to deal with every instance where some emotion was mentioned, and it is no easy matter to use any methods of sampling, either. After Marathon there were frequent reports of vast preparations, and repeated menaces reached us from the king, and in course of time it was learned that Darius was dead and had been succeeded by his son, who was persisting in the project with all the heat of youth. Had they not been terrified at the time we are speaking of, they could never have rallied for the repulse of the invader and the defense of temples, tombs, country, and all that is nearest and dearest, as in fact they did; we should have been pulverized at such a crisis and scattered severally to all quarters of heaven. In this task of the analysis of affects and feelings, several dialogues are useful, but it should be noted in particular that there is much emotional material in the Laws, for which there is also otherwise a special position in the present work. He describes the antecendents carefully.
Common topics in this essay:
CCW Taylor,
Knuuttila Sihvola,
Emotions Price,
,
fear phobos,
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Acceptance Essays
