2024/03/22 by Marco Viola · 1 voice · 1 citation
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment #Emotions and Moral Behavior #Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
paper · doi:10.1080/09515089.2024.2331582
openalex publication_date 2024/03/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
Munch-Jurisic’s book thoroughly describes several cases of severe distresses reported and expressed by perpetrators of tremendous acts such as mass murders. Arguing against a simplistic reading according to which these signs of distress are straightforward manifestations of some innate moral nature, and against the optimistic reading according to which they will lead to prosocial behaviors, Munch-Jursic offers compelling reasons to adopt a more complex theory of emotion. In this commentary, I aim to stress the implications of her book for the debate on moral enhancement and for emotion theory in general. However, while I concur with Munch-Jurisic that emotion theory must make room for complexity and indeterminacy, I challenge her claim that motivational theories of emotion are ill-equipped to face the challenges she poses.