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Single Idea 4849

[filed under theme 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 3. Emotions / e. Basic emotions ]

Full Idea

I recognise only three primitive or primary emotions, namely, pleasure, pain and desire.

Gist of Idea

The three primary emotions are pleasure, pain and desire

Source

Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], IIIEm Df 4)

Book Ref

Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Ethics, Improvement of Understanding, Letters', ed/tr. Elwes,R [Dover 1955], p.175


A Reaction

Interesting, but hard to justify. Presumably one can analyse fear as desire for no pain, and grief as desire for the return of pleasure, etc. It is a nice exercise in introspective psychology, but I don't feel much wiser for it.


The 12 ideas with the same theme [attempts to pick out key emotions]:

There are four basic emotions: pleasure or delight, distress, appetite, and fear [Stoic school, by Cicero]
Are there a few primary passions (say, joy, sadness and desire)? [Descartes, by Cottingham]
There are six primitive passions: wonder, love, hatred, desire, joy and sadness [Descartes, by Goldie]
Apart from pleasure and pain, the only emotions are appetite and aversion [Hobbes]
The 'simple passions' are appetite, desire, love, aversion, hate, joy, and grief [Hobbes, by Goldie]
The three primary emotions are pleasure, pain, and desire [Spinoza, by Goldie]
The three primary emotions are pleasure, pain and desire [Spinoza]
There are no 'basic' emotions, only socially prevalent ones [Solomon]
Emotions are not avocado pears, with a rigid core and changeable surface [Goldie]
A basic emotion is the foundation of a hierarchy, such as anger for types of annoyance [Goldie]
Early Chinese basic emotions: joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, disliking, and liking [Goldie]
Cross-cultural studies of facial expressions suggests seven basic emotions [Goldie]