This Critical Review, called “Critical Review 2: Theory of Constructed Emotion by Lisa Feldman Barrett” is the second in a series of critical reviews called CRITIQUES OF BRAIN THEORIES where I am examining the work of leaders in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and AI.
The idea of critiquing the work of brain experts was in part inspired by the person whose work I will be reviewing in this Critical Review, based on statements she had made in the past on social media encouraging critiques amongst scientists of each other’s work.
She is none other than the distinguished Canadian-American professor of psychology, Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett. Lisa is known for her Theory of Constructed Emotion, which I have critiqued in this Critical review.
Although the interview comprises a high-level discussion aimed at a wider audience, I have decided to capture and compare Lisa’s explanations of emotions against the explanations offered by my own brain model, the Xzistor Mathematical Model of Mind.
The Critical Review is based on two interviews Lisa had conducted with equally renowned psychoanalyst and neuropsychologist Professor Mark Solms. Although I have looked at various of Lisa’s video presentations/interviews available in the public domain (also material from her personal website (https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/), I have decided on the two interviews with Mark Solms since his questions were slightly more forensic and addressed the specific areas of her work I was also interested in. I do reference one of her other online presentations titled Lisa Feldman Barrett – Emotions: Fact vs. Fiction.
Both these interviews are available on YouTube here:
VIDEO 1
“Discussion between Lisa Feldman Barrett and Mark Solms on the nature of emotion (Part 1)”
March 17, 2023
https://youtu.be/9yEPHUKyBOM?si=OPuH4taHLjKefzoO
VIDEO 2
“Discussion between Lisa Feldman Barrett and Mark Solms on the nature of emotion (Part 2)”
May 1, 2023
The final goal of these critiques is to obtain and consolidate the best ideas around the working of the brain from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, philosophy and AI, and hopefully spur on these fields towards a better understanding of the brain – a quest that most in these fields support and also feel is urgently needed.
Click on the document below to view the Critical Review:
Here is a helpful “Diagram of the Theory of Constructed Emotion” from the above preprint.
