Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions, second edition (Ataraxia)

To control our emotions is to control ourselves, and to control ourselves is to control our destiny.
The mind is its own place, and in itself/ Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n. —Milton, Paradise Lost
It has forever been said that we are ruled by our emotions, but this today is truer than ever. Much more than reason or tradition, it is our emotions that determine our choice of profession, partner, and politics, and our relation to money, sex, and religion. Nothing can make us feel more alive, or more human, than our emotions, or hurt us more. Yet, the emotions are utterly neglected by our system of education, leading to millions of mis-lived lives.
This book proposes to redress the balance, exploring over 25 emotions and drawing some powerful and astonishing conclusions along the way. Areas covered include: loneliness, humiliation, envy, greed, ambition, anger, forgiveness, empathy, love, self-esteem, and many more.
How can we turn boredom inside out? How can nostalgia help us? When is anger justified? What do all instances of love have in common? What is the secret to self-esteem? Get your copy now to find out.
A wide-ranging and impassioned survey. —Publishers Weekly
Burton is never short of an interesting and sharp judgment. —Prof Peter Toohey, Psychology Today
[Heaven and Hell] challenges our understanding of emotions we experience but do not really think about... a fascinating read. —British Medical Association Book Awards
Emotions propel all of human life, yet few people take the time to understand their power. In this fascinating work, a psychiatrist explores the passions that drive us: pride, fear, loneliness, love, and more. —BookBub
An entirely new way of looking at the emotions. —Readers' Favorite
★★★★★ I do love to read a book on occasion that gives me a mental workout, and this one certainly had my brain doing calisthenics! —Jamie Bee, Amazon Top 50 Reviewer
Burton guides the reader to unlearn, rediscover, and return to wholeness. It is a journey out of Plato's cave... —The International Review of Books
I've read many Neel Burton books. He's a wonderful writer and able to immerse you lightly in pretty heavy stuff. —Adrian Bailey, Vine Voice
Neel is an incredibly insightful and elegant writer, with a deep knowledge of all he surveys. —James Davies, medical anthropologist and psychotherapist, author of Cracked
About the author
Dr Neel Burton FRSA is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the recipient of the Society of Authors’ Richard Asher Prize, the British Medical Association’s Young Authors’ Award, the Medical Journalists’ Association Open Book Award, and a Best in the World Gourmand Award. His work has featured in the likes of Aeon, the Spectator, and the Times, and been translated into several languages.
Contents
Preface
Introduction
1. Boredom
2. Loneliness
3. Laziness
4. Embarrassment, Shame, and Guilt
5. Pride
6. Snobbery
7. Humiliation
8. Humility
9. Gratitude
10. Envy
11. Greed
12. Desire
13. Hope
14. Nostalgia
15. Ambition
16. Anger
17. Patience
18. Trust
19. Forgiveness
20. Empathy
21. Love
22. Kissing
23. Laughter
24. Self-esteem
25. Wonder
26. Ecstasy
Epilogue