Using Philosophy to Educate Emotions

Abstract

Introduction:  We generally have a dim view of educating the emotions.  Our reasons are presumably these: (1) we think we don't choose our emotions; they just happen to us.  Therefore, we believe we have no control over them, and would be unable to learn such control even if we wanted to; (2) we are ignorant of any feasible scheme for emotional education; and (3) any likely scheme promises to be more difficult than it would be worth.