Concept
Passion (emotion)
Overview
feeling of intense enthusiasm towards or compelling desire for someone or something
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Passion (emotion) is discussed.
The same effect follows, whether the opposition arises from internal motives or external obstacles. The passion commonly acquires new force and violence in both cases. The efforts which the mind makes to surmount the obstacle, excite the spirits and enliven the passion.
David Hume, Philosophical Works, v. 2
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; opens on it
A passion is an original existence, or, if you will, modification of existence, and contains not any representative quality, which renders it a copy of any other existence or modification. When I am angry, I am actually possest with the passion, and in that emotion have no more a reference to any other object, than when I am thirsty, or sick, or more than five foot high.
David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
The nature of the strife of reason and passion is well stated by William James. The cue of passion, he says in effect, is to keep imagination dwelling upon those objects which are congenial to it, which feed it, and which by feeding it intensify its force, until it crowds out all thought of other…
John Dewey, Human Nature and Conduct
states what it is; names the idea; opens on it
For he who is dissatisfied with himself for falling in love calls in reason to his aid to overcome his passion, for both reason and passion are in his soul, and he perceives they are contrary one to the other, and violently represses the inflammatory one of the two.
Plutarch, Plutarch's Morals
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
xvi.) must necessarily be defined by the power of an external cause compared with our own. Q.E.D. PROP. VI. The force of any passion or emotion can overcome the rest of a man's activities or power, so that the emotion becomes obstinately fixed to him. Proof.--The force and increase of any passion and its persistence in existing are defined by the power of an external cause compared with our own (by the foregoing…
Benedictus de Spinoza, Ethics
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
Related ideas
- Erasmus
- Epictetus
- Hamlet
- Creativity
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Stoicism
- Suffering
- Motivation
- René Descartes
- Romanticism
- Sigmund Freud
- Reason
- Free will
- Dialectic
- Courtly love
- Denis Diderot
- Identity (social science)
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Neostoicism.