Why We Feel

A new theory explains why we have feelings--and why we need them to survive.

What can a brain scan, or our reaction to a Caravaggio painting, reveal about the deep seat of guilt? How can reading Heidegger, or conducting experiments on rats, help us to cope with anxiety in the face of the world's economic crisis? Can ancient remedies fight sadness more effectively than anti-depressants? What does the neuroscience of acting tell us about how we feel empathy, and fall for an actor on stage? What can writing poetry tell us about how joy works? And how can a bizarre neurological syndrome or a Shakespearean sonnet explain love and intimacy? We live at a time when neuroscience is unlocking the secrets of our emotions. But is science ever enough to explain why we feel the way we feel? Giovanni Frazzetto takes us on a journey through our everyday lives and most common emotions. In each chapter, his scientific knowledge mixes with personal experience to offer a compelling account of the continual contrast between rationality and sentiment, science and poetry. And he shows us that by facing this contrast, we can more fully understand ourselves and how we feel.

Armed with custom software that scours the English-speaking world's new Internet blog posts every minute, hunting down the phrases "I feel" and "I am feeling, " the authors have collected over 12 million feelings since 2005, amassing an ever-growing database of human emotion that adds more than 10,000 new feelings a day. Equal parts pop culture and psychology, computer science and conceptual art, sociology and storytelling, this is no ordinary book -- with thousands of authors from all over the world sharing their uncensored emotions, it is a radical experiment in mass authorship, merging the online and offline worlds to create an indispensable handbook for anyone interested in what it's like to be human.

A thoughtful, gleeful encyclopedia of emotions, both broad and outrageously specific, from throughout history and around the world. How do you feel today? Is your heart fluttering in anticipation? Your stomach tight with nerves? Are you falling in love? Feeling a bit miffed? Do you have the heebie-jeebies? Are you antsy with iktsuarpok or filled with nakhes? Recent research suggests there are only six basic emotions. But if that makes you feel uneasy, suspicious, and maybe even a little bereft, THE BOOK OF HUMAN EMOTIONS is for you. In this unique book, you'll get to travel across the world and through time, learning how different cultures have articulated the human experience and picking up some fascinating new knowledge about yourself along the way. From the familiar (anger) to the foreign (zal), each entertaining and informative alphabetical entry reveals the surprising connections and fascinating facts behind our emotional lives. Whether you're in search of the perfect word to sum up that cozy feeling you get from being inside on a cold winter's night, surrounded by friends and good food (what the Dutch call gezelligheid), or wondering how nostalgia evolved from a fatal illness to enjoyable self-indulgence, Tiffany Watt Smith draws on history, anthropology, science, art, literature, music, and popular culture to find the answers. In reading THE BOOK OF HUMAN EMOTIONS, you'll discover feelings you never knew you had (like basorexia, the sudden urge to kiss someone) and gain unexpected insights into why you feel the way you do. Besides, aren't you curious what nginyiwarrarringu means?

A fantastic first book of feelings that introduces little ones to a wide range of emotions. Why are the animals happy? What has made them feel sad? What do YOU feel excited about? We feel happy when reading our favourite book. We feel calm when we have a bath. We feel excited when we go to a party! We Feel Happy is the perfect book for starting a conversation about feelings with children. The animals are experiencing lots of different emotions, from the hippos who are excited to visit their friends to the shark who is grumpy about brushing its teeth. Includes learning hooks such as counting, first words and recognising animals, interactive speech bubbles, prompts and ideas on how to process and understand our emotions and lots of interesting things to spot on every page. ______________________________________________________________________ Vibrantly illustrated by the talented Katie Abey, illustrator of We Wear Pants, We Eat Bananas and We Catch the Bus and perfect for fans of You Choose and Just Imagine. We Feel Happy includes the feelings: happy, calm, worried, shy, curious, grumpy, sad, scared, sorry, excited and a guide written by early years specialist, Dr Helen Lewis, with lots of useful information for speaking to children about their emotions.

A sweeping exploration of the ways in which emotions shaped the course of human history, and how our experience and understanding of emotions have evolved along with us. "Eye-opening and thought-provoking!” (Gina Rippon, author of The Gendered Brain) We humans like to think of ourselves as rational creatures, who, as a species, have relied on calculation and intellect to survive. But many of the most important moments in our history had little to do with cold, hard facts and a lot to do with feelings. Events ranging from the origins of philosophy to the birth of the world’s major religions, the fall of Rome, the Scientific Revolution, and some of the bloodiest wars that humanity has ever experienced can’t be properly understood without understanding emotions. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, art, and religious history, Richard Firth-Godbehere takes readers on a fascinating and wide ranging tour of the central and often under-appreciated role emotions have played in human societies around the world and throughout history—from Ancient Greece to Gambia, Japan, the Ottoman Empire, the United States, and beyond. A Human History of Emotion vividly illustrates how our understanding and experience of emotions has changed over time, and how our beliefs about feelings—and our feelings themselves—profoundly shaped us and the world we inhabit.

Young readers are introduced to various situations that can cause them to feel sad in this helpful guide to feelings. Through the age-appropriate and accessible main text relating to Social and Emotional Learning, they learn how to develop empathy and become more aware of their own feelings of sadness. They also learn how to deal with sadness in a healthy and constructive way. The use of simple language, short sentences, and relatable examples presented with the help of full-color photographs helps easily translate this important subject to early learners.

Every life is an interesting story, and this story is best written when people go through life’s experiences by staying connected to who they truly are. To stay connected to yourself, you need first to start listening from within. This book gives a perspective on why we think, feel and act the way we do, through concepts from neuroscience and psychology. It attempts to answer some of life’s key questions, such as— - Why do we all perceive things differently? - Why are we designed to do different things? - Why do we all learn things in different ways? - How are habits formed? - What role do emotions play in our lives? - What makes us happy? And finally, what it means and takes to stay connected to ourselves and others. “Great ideas for a better living, that not only help you to connect with yourself but also to connect with others.” Dr. David J Lincoln – Chief advisor and president ANLP India. “The simplicity of ideas and the depth of knowledge make this book a must-read for leaders everywhere.” Rajat Garg Master Certified Coach & Director, Global Board of Directors for The ICF (International Coaching Federation) “Vishal brings to life and connects many aspects of living with facts about the brain and how the human mind works. These easy to read and well-structured reflections ‘from the heart’ show the simple aspects of living life fully.” Chitra Ravi Founder & Principle consultant at SeedTLC, Regional Representative for India & Asia on the Board of Trustees of the ITAA (International Transactional Analysis Association)