Abstract
This article argues for a Freudian theory of internal emotion, which is best characterised as key “safety valves of the psyche”. After briefly clarifying some of Freud’s metapsychology, I present an account regarding the origin of (self-)censorship and morality as internalised aggression. I then show how this conception expands and can be detailed through a defence of a hydraulic model of the psyche that has specific “safety valves” of disgust, shame, and pity constantly counteracting specific sets of Freudian drives. This model is important for explicating Freud’s crucial concept of sublimation, which continues to have key therapeutic and normative relevance today, which I show through the case of jokes. I finish with the argument that largely happy, productive lives can be seen as in a dynamic between the release of too much (perversion) and too little (neurosis) psychical pressure through these mechanisms.
Highlights
This article argues that an interpretative rereading of some key Freudian themes will make some important insights with regard to the nature of human aggression; the origins ofcensorship and morality; the role of internal emotions therein, not least disgust, shame, and pity; and how these elements are crucial for understanding Freud’s key concept of sublimation in a therapeutic, normative, and interpersonal manner, not least with regard to jokes
The second section explains a later theory of Freud regarding how a study of his conception of aggression highlights an important account ofcensorship, which is closely linked to the origin of human morality in its most basic form according to this theory
I am returning to studying some internal emotion thanks to Freud viewed as a philosophical anthropologist, this in no way means to discount or detract from more “externalist” or phenomenological accounts of emotion, including my own [2,3,4,5]
Summary
This article argues that an interpretative rereading of some key Freudian themes will make some important insights with regard to the nature of human aggression; the origins of (self-)censorship and morality; the role of internal emotions therein, not least disgust, shame, and pity; and how these elements are crucial for understanding Freud’s key concept of sublimation in a therapeutic, normative, and interpersonal manner, not least with regard to jokes. Philosophies 2021, 6, 86 show how some basic internal feelings, affects, and emotions go a long way in formatting some of our rudimentary personal (and interpersonal) structures, which, in turn, format our characters and behaviours, but parts of human morality and society more generally. In this manner, I am returning to studying some internal emotion thanks to Freud viewed as a philosophical anthropologist, this in no way means to discount or detract from more “externalist” or phenomenological accounts of emotion, including my own [2,3,4,5]. The two sides can be seen as interesting and even complementary avenues of study in a colossal and highly complex domain of human behaviour and study
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