The Self and Its Emotions If there is one value that seems beyond reproach in modernity, it is that of the self and the terms that cluster around it, such as self-esteem, self- confidence, and self-respect. It is not clear, however, that all those who invoke the self really know what they are talking about, or that they are all talking about the same thing. What is this thing called ‘self’, then, and what is its psychological, philosophical, and educational salience? More specifically, what role do emotions play in the creation and constitution of the self? This book proposes a realist, emotion-grounded conception of selfhood. In arguing for a closer link between selfhood and emotion than has been previously suggested, the author critically explores and integrates self research from diverse academic fields. This is a provocative book that should excite anyone interested in cutting-edge research on self issues and emotions that lies at the intersection of psychology, philosophy of mind, moral philosophy, and moral education. Kristj´ an Kristj´ ansson received his PhD in moral philosophy from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. He has taught at the University of Akureyri, Iceland, and at the University of Iceland, where he is currently Professor of Philosophy of Education. He has been a Visiting Fellow at Cornell University, University of Konstanz, St. Edmund’s College (Cam- bridge University), and Institute of Education (University of London). Kristj´ ansson has written four books in English and three in Icelandic. He has published numerous articles on topics in moral philosophy, emotion theory, and moral education in international journals. He is a member of the International Society for Research on Emotions and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Moral Education. www.cambridge.org © in this web service Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-11478-3 - The Self and Its Emotions Kristjan Kristjansson Frontmatter More information