Work

Tacit Creationism in Emotions Research

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: Recent quantitative studies have advanced emotions research substantially, but they have done little to resolve enduring large-scale controversies. This article suggests that tacit creationism is at the root of the problem. Envisioning emotions as aspects of a designed machine encourages searching for answers of a kind that do not exist. The quest for the Holy Grail of agreement on the number, nature, and functions of emotions is futile because the emotions are aspects of organically complex systems whose structures and functions are radically different from those of machines. A fully evolutionary foundation for emotions research discourages hopes for simple elegant models but it can nonetheless advance research by dispelling misconceptions and suggesting new questions

Source: Deep Blue (University of Michigan)

DOI: 10.7302/266

Author: Nesse, Randolph M.

Language: English

Topic: Emotions and Moral Behavior

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford

OpenAlex ID: W3134684314

FWCI: 1.093

Cites:

Cited by: 5

Related to: 10