Cognitive Role in Emotions

This is an interdisciplinary study of cognition and emotions. Philosophy of mind and cognitive science, on the one hand, generally discuss the nature of cognition by discussing that of its various faculties, such as language and perception; however, it is as yet unclear as to the nature of the cognitive role immanent in emotions. In particular, it remains unclear whether the fundamental notions of the mind frequently discussed—such as representation and embodiment—can also be employed to explain that cognitive role, or should such notions be somehow altered in order to fit the nature of emotions? On the other hand, the cognitive role in emotions turns up as a central issue in philosophy of emotions, specifically in the cognitive theory (or cognitivism) of emotions (de Sousa, 2002; Solomon, 2004b), as opposed to the somatic theory of emotions (Damasio, 1994, 1999; Prinz