While everyone may associate certain emotions with certain bodily changes, many philosophers equate emotions with cognitive processes such as perception or judgement. But Daniel Shargel disagrees, arguing that the body plays a more critical role in emotion than traditionally assumed. Physiological changes such as heightened blood pressure or nervous sweating aren’t just part of the emotion, but its main motivating force.

Daniel Shargel is a Ph.D. Student in Philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center.