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The paradox of tragedy and emotional response to simulation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2017

Patrick Colm Hogan
Patrick Colm Hogan*
Affiliation:
Department of English, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4025. Patrick.hogan@uconn.edu http://english.uconn.edu/patrick-hogan/
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Abstract

The insightful analysis of Menninghaus et al. could be deepened and rendered more systematic by recognizing that our emotional enjoyment of tragedy – and our response to fiction more generally – are versions of what happens with simulation. They derive from the operation and evolutionary function of simulation. Once we understand emotion in simulation, we largely understand emotion in tragedy (and fiction).

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 40 , 2017 , e366
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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