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Document Details : Title: Godfrey of St. Victor's Theory of Emotions Author(s): PALMÉN, Ritva Journal: Recherches de Théologie et Philosophie Médiévales Volume: 92 Issue: 1 Date: 2025 Pages: 1-30 DOI: 10.2143/RTPM.92.1.3294373 Abstract : This article explores Godfrey of St. Victor’s philosophical theory of emotions. First, it examines his anthropological theory, describing his ideas of the human soul, its affective and cognitive functions, and their interconnectedness. Second, the article considers the taxonomy of emotions in Godfrey’s masterpiece Microcosmus, paying special attention to the transformations of emotions and their cognitive control. Third, the article will reveal Godfrey’s exceptional interest in negative emotions and how they may be used positively in moral reasoning. The deliberate use of emotions also determines one’s abilities and relation to others, manifesting itself in Godfrey’s original account of shame and its counterpart, confidence. The study shows that while Godfrey was deeply influenced by the prevailing theories of emotions and his predecessors’ ideas, he developed new views, suggesting a close relation between imagination and emotions and discussing the positive use of negative and social emotions. Studying these aspects in twelfth-century philosophy bridges a persistent gap in the history of the philosophy of emotions. |
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