In the introductory essay of A Tear Is an Intellectual Thing, professor of philosophy and author Jerome Neu accurately tells the reader that the “essays are broadly about emotions and the constitution of who we are. The major focus of these essays is not on describing what each particular emotion is, but rather on how emotions are connected to other aspects of human life”(11). Written over a period of twenty-five years, Neu’s book is a collection of essays, fifteen in all. Each essay can be read independently, but there are common themes that run throughout the work, some of which are the relation of the normal to the pathological, the interconnectedness of apparently opposite emotions, and moral identity.

Neu’s work is intended for an academic audience – the language can be technical, and substantial knowledge of philosophy and/or psychology would be recommended to get the most out of the book. This does not, however mean that it is not accessible, simply that it is not in any way intended as a self-help book, or a textbook for a general audience.

Throughout the work, Neu uses examples from real life, literature and film as a way in to the theoretical analysis. He asks compelling questions about our emotions and proceeds to rigorously analyze them, drawing on both lived experience as well as psychological, philosophical and evolutionary theories all in an attempt to explore the meanings of human emotions. While the essays can be read independently, there is a progression in the way in which they are organized. The earlier essays (1-7) deal with what we might first think of as emotions, exploring the meaning of tears, jealousy, love, hate and pride. The later essays (8-15) address subjects such as homosexuality, perversion, incest, fantasy, shamanism, the practice of psychoanalysis and self-deception. We would, I think, not normally consider these latter concepts of themselves be ’emotions.’ What Neu does here is explore the complexity of emotions that underlie these ideas and how they connect. In fact, what rapidly becomes clear, even in the earlier essays, is that the idea of a ‘single’ or ‘simple’ emotion is somewhat false. For example, the discussion of jealousy in “Jealous Thoughts” includes analysis of love, rights, and self-identity. “Odi et Amo” discusses the interconnectedness of love and hate; and the title essay on tears includes discussion of sadness, laughter, joy and surprise.

Neu’s analysis in this collection is insightful and penetrating – the essays in which his own analysis come to the fore (such as 6,10,15) are particularly compelling. There is a danger, however of becoming bogged down in all the references in some of the other essays, which impedes the flow of reading the work. This is not necessarily a weakness, as it demonstrates Neu’s command of the work on the emotions in both philosophy and psychology. The collection gives an excellent overview of the current theories on the meanings of emotion. While largely grounded in the analytic, Anglo-American tradition of philosophy, Neu does draw from the Continental tradition as well (mainly from the works of the existentialist writers – Sartre, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard), providing the reader with a relatively balanced view of philosophical theories of emotion across the two traditions.

Psychoanalytic theories of the meanings of emotion also figure prominently in the essays and Neu’s extensive knowledge of Freud is evident. He provides insightful critique of the theories, using philosophy to propose an alternative view or at the very least to raise important questions about the theories.

In one of the final essays, Neu states his belief that “Psychoanalysis is more than just a therapeutic enterprise: it aims at truth”(260). The same can be said about the aim of philosophy – Neu’s critiques of psychoanalytic and philosophical theories and practice and the alternative theories and questions that he raises recognize that this truth is not fixed, that there is always another layer to uncover; the essays collected in this book make a significant contribution towards the goal of uncovering the truth of human emotions.

Erin McCarthy holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Ottawa. She has taught at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University and the Dominican College of Philosophy and Theology. As of the fall of 2000, she will be teaching at St. Lawrence University (New York). Her doctoral thesis The Spatiality of the Self was a comparative analysis of the role of spatiality in self-identity. A recent paper was based on Kimura Bin’s article “The phenomenology of the between: the problem of the basic disturbance of schizophrenia”. Current research interests include continuing her exploration of the relationship between philosophy and psychology especially focussing on the role of the body in self-identity.

Categories: Philosophical, General