The epistemology of emotion: approaches to the construction of control

Abstract

This article explores the epistemological aspects of emotions, focusing on their construc­tion as objects of control. It examines practices where emotional regulation is particularly significant, such as addiction treatment, psychotherapy, and emotional and moral en­hancement practices. The article traces a historical shift from a generalized typology of normative emotions to a distinction between private emotional experiences and the recognition of non-normative emotions as essential components of “emotional regimes”. Psychotherapy, especially in addiction contexts, has contributed to this shift, highlighting the temporal dimension of emotional experience. This temporal aspect re­veals the complexities of self-regulation in individuals with addictions, where the desire for emotional control often results in a diminished capacity for independent regulation. The article analyzes how discussions surrounding addiction have influenced the interac­tion between therapeutic culture and human enhancement practices. It argues that norma­tive frameworks for emotional control, shaped by addiction discourse, increasingly em­phasize the temporality of emotional change rather than relying on standard classifica­tions of emotional states. Psychotherapy, in contrast to pharmacological approaches in self-enhancement, emphasizes working with emotional patterns, analyzing external in­fluences, and understanding the personal and temporal dynamics of emotional control. This approach offers a fresh perspective on emotional self-enhancement practices.