Full Idea
The best understanding of a person's emotions …will be holistic in its overall approach, seeing feelings as embedded in an emotion's narrative, as part of a person's life.
Gist of Idea
It is best to see emotions holistically, as embedded in a person's life narrative
Source
Peter Goldie (The Emotions [2000], 3 Intro)
Book Reference
Goldie,Peter: 'The Emotions' [OUP 2002], p.51
A Reaction
Sounds reasonable, but I didn't find it very helpful. When told that my Self or my life has a 'narrative' I don't learn much. The concept of narrative relies on selves and lives. Ditto for being told that emotions or language are 'holistic'.