| Omschrijving |
Passions of the Soul: Bodily Expressions and Moral Implications
Premodern medicine regarded emotions as part of the system of the non-naturals, meaning things not in control of human nature. They were not seen as a component of an individual’s inherent constitution or “nature” (hence “non-natural”). Doctors as well as theologians however considered the emotions powerful and crucial in a negative and positive way. Premoderns quickly acknowledge that feelings could nourish communality, cooperation, solidarity, charity, and many other prerequisites for a human(e) way of living. In this research seminar students will become familiar with the history of emotions, a new type of cultural history which is currently flourishing in premodern studies. Foremost we shall probe the various types of sources, from sermons, visions, love poetry and theatre plays to learned treatises, in which the various passions found expression. For these sources, we will look to both Europe and the Islamic world. Together we shall try to catch emotions in the act, to chart their functioning in society and nail down their appreciation by different authors and publics. |
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