There are at least three possible interpretations of the thesis, ‘emotions are purposive’:

1. (1) The first interpretation is that ‘emotions are purposive’ means ‘emotions give rise to purposive behaviour’;

2. (2) The second interpretation is that ‘emotions are purposive’ means ‘emotions are had for a purpose’;

3. (3) The third interpretation is that ‘emotions are purposive’ means ‘emotions can be seen as serving the purpose of or as being useful to the person(s) having them’.

I want to argue that interpretation (1) is acceptable, that (2) is not, but that (3) is with provisos and qualifications. Most of the discussion will be about interpretations (2) and (3) and it will become clear that these are the more interesting theses. Indeed the discussion of (3) will lead on to the discussion of

1. (4) Whether or not worthwhile distinctions can be made in terms of useful/useless and socially-approved/socially-disapproved-of emotions;

and

1. (5) The emotions-as-organising and emotions-as-disruptive-of behaviour dispute in psychology.

Emotions give rise to purposive behaviour

The thesis that emotions are purposive in that they give rise to purposive behaviour is, one would think, unexceptional. At least I hope this is so after the discussion in the previous chapters. As we have seen, the concept of particular emotions will involve not merely reference to evaluations about objects but most often also to desires, which imply purposes.