
In Defense of Shame
The Faces of an Emotion
Oxford University Press Inc
1st Edition
Published on 15. December 2011
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-19-979353-2 (ISBN)
Description
Is shame social? Is it superficial? Is it a morally problematic emotion? Researchers in disciplines as different as psychology, philosophy, and anthropology have thought so. But what is the nature of shame and why are claims regarding its social nature and moral standing interesting and important? Do they tell us anything worthwhile about the value of shame and its potential legal and political applications?
In this book, Julien Deonna, Raffaele Rodogno, and Fabrice Teroni propose an original philosophical account of shame aimed at answering these questions. The book begins with a detailed examination of the evidence and arguments that are taken to support what they call the two dogmas about shame: its alleged social nature and its morally dubious character. Their analysis is conducted against the backdrop of a novel account of shame and ultimately leads to the rejection of these two dogmas. On this account, shame involves a specific form of negative evaluation that the subject takes towards herself: a verdict of incapacity with regard to values to which she is attached. One central virtue of the account resides in the subtle manner it clarifies the ways in which the subject's identity is at stake in shame, thus shedding light on many aspects of this complex emotion and allowing for a sophisticated understanding of its moral significance.
This philosophical account of shame engages with all the current debates on shame as they are conducted within disciplines as varied as ethics, moral, experimental, developmental and evolutionary psychology, anthropology, legal studies, feminist studies, politics and public policy.
In this book, Julien Deonna, Raffaele Rodogno, and Fabrice Teroni propose an original philosophical account of shame aimed at answering these questions. The book begins with a detailed examination of the evidence and arguments that are taken to support what they call the two dogmas about shame: its alleged social nature and its morally dubious character. Their analysis is conducted against the backdrop of a novel account of shame and ultimately leads to the rejection of these two dogmas. On this account, shame involves a specific form of negative evaluation that the subject takes towards herself: a verdict of incapacity with regard to values to which she is attached. One central virtue of the account resides in the subtle manner it clarifies the ways in which the subject's identity is at stake in shame, thus shedding light on many aspects of this complex emotion and allowing for a sophisticated understanding of its moral significance.
This philosophical account of shame engages with all the current debates on shame as they are conducted within disciplines as varied as ethics, moral, experimental, developmental and evolutionary psychology, anthropology, legal studies, feminist studies, politics and public policy.
Reviews / Votes
it is simply too full of worthwhile arguments and insightful observations. * Toni Ronnow-Rasmussen, Dialectica *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Undergraduate and graduate students and their teachers within all disciplines studying the emotions.
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
568 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-979353-2 (9780199793532)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2011
1st Edition
OUP USA
€54.49
Available for download
Persons
Julien A. Deonna is Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department, University of Geneva and at the Swiss Center for Research in the Affective Sciences, University of Geneva.
Raffaele Rodogno is Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, Aarhus University, Denmark and Collaborator at the Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN) and MindLab at Aarhus University.
Fabrice Teroni is Postdoctoral Assistant, University of Bern and Research Associate at the Swiss Center for Research in the Affective Sciences, University of Geneva.
Raffaele Rodogno is Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, Aarhus University, Denmark and Collaborator at the Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN) and MindLab at Aarhus University.
Fabrice Teroni is Postdoctoral Assistant, University of Bern and Research Associate at the Swiss Center for Research in the Affective Sciences, University of Geneva.
Author
University of Geneva
Aarhaus University
University of Geneva
Content
Preface ; Introduction ; A. Why shame? ; B. Emotions and their Dimensions ; C. Shame and the sense of shame ; D. Emotions and morality ; E. The structure of the book ; Part One: Two Dogmas About Shame ; Chapter I. The Social Emotion ; Chapter II. The Ugly Emotion ; Part Two: The Nature Of Shame ; Chapter III. Shame, values and the self ; Chapter IV. Shame revealed ; Part Three: Revisiting the Dogmas ; Chapter V. Socialism with Modesty ; Chapter VI. Shame's Fragile Beauty ; Part Four: Shame in the Public Domain ; Chapter VII. Shame, Crime, and Punishment ; Chapter VIII. Shame, Legislation, and Subordination