Author Description
Mitchell S. Green presents a systematic philosophical study of self-expression - a pervasive phenomenon of the everyday life of humans and other species, which has received scant attention in its own right. He explores the ways in which self-expression reveals our states of thought, feeling, and experience, and he defends striking new theses concerning a wide range of fascinating topics: our ability to perceive emotion in others, artistic expression, empathy, expressive language, meaning, facial expression, and speech acts. He draws on insights from evolutionary game theory, ethology, the philosophy of language, social psychology, pragmatics, aesthetics, and neuroscience to present a stimulating and accessible interdisciplinary work.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the nature and function of self-expression as a fundamental human and biological phenomenon. Mitchell S. Green, a philosopher specializing in the philosophy of language and mind, synthesizes diverse academic fields to argue that self-expression is a critical mechanism for revealing internal states of thought and emotion. He constructs a framework that bridges the gap between biological signaling and complex human communication, challenging existing paradigms in social psychology and aesthetics.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of expressive language and speech acts
- Integration of evolutionary game theory and ethology
- Examination of facial expressions and emotional perception
- Theoretical foundations for artistic expression and empathy
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a comprehensive history of philosophical thought on expression
- Excludes detailed clinical psychological case studies
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of philosophy frequently note the interdisciplinary breadth of this text, which successfully connects biological signaling to human linguistic meaning. Experts highlight this work as a significant contribution to the study of social cognition and expressive behavior.
Page Count:
241
Publication Date:
2007-01-01
ISBN-10:
0191608653
ISBN-13:
9780191608650
Psychology
Philosophy
Aesthetics
EXPRESSION
Mind & Body
Linguistics
SELF
Evolutionary Biology