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Book chapter
English

Bitter Joys and Sweet Sorrows

ContributorsMassin, Olivier
Published inShadows of the Soul, Editors Tappolet, C. ; Teroni, F. & Konzelmann Ziv, A.
PublisherRoutledge
Publication date2018
Abstract

We sometimes experience pleasures and displeasures simultaneously: whenever we eat sfogliatelle while having a headache, whenever we feel pain fading away, whenever we feel guilty pleasure while enjoying listening to Barbara Streisand, whenever we are savouring a particularly hot curry, whenever we enjoy physical endurance in sport, whenever we are touched upon receiving a hideous gift, whenever we are proud of withstanding acute pain, etc. These are examples of what we call " mixed feelings ". Mixed feelings are cases in which one and the same person experiences pleasure and displeasure at the same time. Mixed feelings raise two questions: (1) If pleasure and displeasure are contraries, how can mixed feelings be possible? (2) Does the excess of pleasure (or displeasure) that we feel when experiencing mixed feelings itself constitute a new feeling, that results from the co-occurrence of the first two? I will argue (1) that mixed feelings are possible and that their existence does not threaten the contrariety of pleasure and displeasure, and (2) that there are no resultant feelings: having a lot of pleasure and a little displeasure does not result in having additional mild pleasure. Finally, I will suggest (3) that although both false, scepticism towards the existence of mixed feelings, as well as the idea according to which resultant feelings exist, are inspired from a single and correct idea: that pleasure and displeasure do fuse in some cases.

Keywords
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Pleasure
  • Philosophy of Emotion
  • Pain and Pleasure
  • Mixed Feelings
  • Hedonic Balance
Citation (ISO format)
MASSIN, Olivier. Bitter Joys and Sweet Sorrows. In: Shadows of the Soul. [s.l.] : Routledge, 2018.
Main files (1)
Book chapter (Accepted version)
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
  • PID : unige:102187
ISBN9781138689695
546views
6downloads

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