Depression, Guilt and Emotional Depth.

Ratcliffe, M.

Abstract

It is generally maintained that emotions consist of intentional states and/or bodily feelings. This paper offers a phenomenological analysis of guilt in severe depression, in order to illustrate how such conceptions fail to adequately accommodate a way in which some emotional experiences are said to be deeper than others. Many emotions are intentional states. However, I propose that the deepest emotions are not intentional but ‘pre-intentional’, meaning that they determine which kinds of intentional state are possible. I go on to suggest that pre-intentional emotions are at the same time feelings. In so doing, I reject the distinction that is often made between bodily feelings and the world-oriented aspects of emotion.

Citation

Ratcliffe, M. (2010). Depression, Guilt and Emotional Depth. Inquiry, 53(6), 602-626. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020174x.2010.526324

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2010
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2010
• Journal: Inquiry
• Print ISSN: 0020-174X
• Electronic ISSN: 1502-3923
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Volume: 53
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 602-626
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0020174x.2010.526324
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1517278