Emotions

Stone statue of a Moai head with a prominent brow and nose against a black background, photo.
GENDER
43

How to be a man

Old ideas of manliness make us miserable. Being labelled ‘toxic’ doesn’t help. A reimagined masculinity is the way forward

by Andrew Reiner

Painting of a man with medium-length hair in dark clothing, seated near a window with a city view, holding a book.
EMOTIONS

What makes hate a unique emotion – and why that matters

How does hating someone compare with anger, contempt or disgust? A clearer picture of what makes it unique is emerging

by Cristhian A Martínez

Photo of a person falling near running bulls on a cobblestone street during a bull run event, with legs and hooves in motion.
HISTORY OF EMOTIONS
9

Schadenfreude: why do we find joy in the pain felt by others?

A brief history of schadenfreude – taking pleasure in the misfortune of another – from ancient China to Charlie Chaplin

by David P Barash

Photo of a man playing a violin in a columned, mosaic-tiled hall with people walking in the background.
MUSIC

Music is a philosophy, rich in ideas that language cannot say

Musical thinking offers a means for composing our lives and a philosophical foundation that embraces both sound and silence

by Xenia Hanusiak

Painting of three women, one holding a hat, standing on a bridge with a blurred landscape in the background.
EMOTIONS

For young people, emotions are highly contagious social viruses

Like viruses, our internal mental states are socially transmissible, and it’s easier to catch happiness than depression

by Jack Andrews

Photo of a smiling person taking a selfie indoors, wearing a blue and yellow jumper, with plants and a clock in the background.
EMOTIONS
8

What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude

Influencers and self-help gurus are preaching a form of positive psychology that risks doing more harm than good

by Lucas Dixon

Scene from a film with a pale man in black leather and a woman in glasses standing by a blue door in a home setting.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY
10

Love the art, disgusted by the artist? Maybe philosophy can help

Rather than trying to leave behind beloved art by immoral artists, let philosophy offer you a model for engaging with it

by Erich Hatala Matthes

Photo of an overturned car on grass with pink flowers, a police car nearby and a person holding a pink umbrella.
EMOTIONS

Why it feels right to feel guilty about accidental mishaps

Say you caused a random accident. Your expression of guilt – or its lack – could send a message about who you are deep down

by Rajen Alexander Anderson

A damaged photo of people laughing at a table, with a large red circle on a banner in the background.
DECISION-MAKING

Emotions should be in the heart of complex political debates

Emotion is not opposed to reason but a crucial tool for assessing risk in a complex, uncertain world

by Sabine Roeser

Black and white photo of a person and a dog standing apart on a wet beach with waves in the background.
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE
8

Philosophical reflection often begins with a disruptive mood

For many of our greatest philosophers, it was their moods, from wonder to estrangement to anxiety, that first inspired them

by Steven Segal

A painting of a woman with brown hair in a white blouse with a large green bow against a dark blue background.
EMOTIONS
13

Are you sure you know what emotions are?

It’s tricky to define what an emotion is: is surprise one, or something else? Here are a few simple rules to get started

by Andrew Ortony

A group of people outdoors looking serious, with one woman wiping her eyes in the centre. Trees and buildings in background.
EMOTIONS

The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry

We think of tears as an overflow of emotion, but an evolutionary lens shows they’re a rational form of social signalling

by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman

Painting of a bundle of American banknotes tied with a green ribbon pinned to a wall on a brown background.
VIRTUES AND VICES

Greedy people might be frowned upon, but are they the winners?

Some individuals have a persistent tendency to want ever more stuff and status. Psychologists are examining the lives they lead

by Karlijn Hoyer

Photo of a burning tower with smoke, reflects a man and woman standing nearby in an urban setting.
EMOTIONS
6

What it means for something to ‘sink in’ emotionally

The impact of important events is more than an emotion or mood – it must ‘sink in’, which is a process that unfolds in time

by Matthew Ratcliffe

Photo of a person with eyes closed, hands on cheeks, wearing a wristband and large hoop earrings in a dimly lit setting.
MUSIC

Can you ‘feel’ the music? You’re probably an empathetic person

People who are more empathic toward others are also more likely to have more feeling for the emotions communicated in music

by Benjamin Tabak & Zachary Wallmark

Black and white photo of a woman covering her mouth with her hand in a crowded room.
EMOTIONS

How ‘feelings about thinking’ help us navigate our world

The pleasant feeling of knowing, the frustration of forgetting, and other ‘metacognitive feelings’ serve as unsung guides

by Pablo Fernandez Velasco & Slawa Loev