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The Structural Ambivalence of Emotional Valence: An Introduction

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The Dark Side: Philosophical Reflections on the “Negative Emotions”

Part of the book series: Studies in the History of Philosophy of Mind ((SHPM,volume 25))

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Abstract

Emotions are complex phenomena. We all have an intuitive understanding of what they are because we experience them in everyday life. They occur in response to triggering situations in the external environment and play a major role in our perception, cognition, and motivation. Despite their paramount importance in our lives, attempts to provide a general definition or complete taxonomy of emotions have failed. To date, both the definition and classification of emotions remain controversial and depend on the theory of emotions one favours (Scarantino 2016).

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Giacomoni, P., Dellantonio, S., Valentini, N. (2021). The Structural Ambivalence of Emotional Valence: An Introduction. In: Giacomoni, P., Valentini, N., Dellantonio, S. (eds) The Dark Side: Philosophical Reflections on the “Negative Emotions”. Studies in the History of Philosophy of Mind, vol 25. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55123-0_1

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