Professional Summary
Jenefer Robinson teaches and writes on topics in aesthetics and philosophical psychology, especially the theory of emotion. Her book, Deeper than Reason (OUP 2005) applied recent advances in emotion theory to issues in aesthetics, such as the expression of emotion in the arts, how music arouses emotions and moods, and how the emotional experience of literature and music in particular can be a mode of understanding and appreciation. Jenefer is President of the American Society for Aesthetics. Her presidential address was about the role of emotional feelings in the appreciation of architecture. She is currently writing a book on emotion for OUP.
For more information, please see her personal website
Education
Ph.D.: University of Toronto 1975
Abbreviated Publications
Book
Robinson, Jenefer (2005). Deeper than Reason: Emotion and its Role in Literature, Music and Art, . Oxford Unversity Press;.
Robinson, Jenefer (1997). Music and Meaning. Cornell University Press.
Book Chapter
(2007). Can Music Function as a Metaphor of Emotional Life?. In Kathleen Stock (Eds.), Philosophers on Music: Experience, Meaning, and Work (pp. 149-177). Oxford University Press.
(2005). Nelson Goodman. In Berys Gaut and Dominic Lopes (Eds.), Routledge Companion to Aesthetics (pp. 185-197).
(2004). The Emotions in Art. In Peter Kivy (Eds.), The Blackwell Guide to Aesthetics (pp. 174, 192). Blackwell.
(2004). Emotion: Biological Fact or Social Construction?. In Robert C. Solomon (Eds.), Thinking about Feeling: Contemporary Philosophers on Emotion (pp. 28-43). Oxford University Press.
(1998). Theoretical Issues in the Role of Appraisal in Emotion: Cognitive Content Versus Physiological Change. In R. Hoffman, M. Sherrick, M., and J. Warm (Eds.), Viewing Psychology as a Whole: The Integrative Science of William N. Dember (pp. 449-469.). American Psychological Association.
Encyclopedia Article
(2006). Aesthetics, Problems of. In The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Macmillan/Gale.
(1998). Style, artistic. In The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London: Routledge.
(1996). The History of Modern Aesthetics. In The Dictionary of Art. Macmillan.
(1996). George Santayana. In The Dictionary of Art. Macmillan.
(1996). John Dewey. In The Dictionary of Art. Macmillan.
(1996). Jacques Maritain. In The Dictionary of Art. Macmillan.
(1996). R. G. Collingwood. In The Dictionary of Art. Macmillan.
Peer Reviewed Publications
(2008). Do all musical emotions have the music itself as their intentional object? Commentary on Juslin & Västfjäll, “All musical emotions ae not created equal: The cost of neglecting underlying mechanisms." Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31(5), 592-593.
(2007). Music and Emotions. Journal of Literary Theory, 1(2), 395-419.
(2007). Expression and Expressiveness in Art. Postgraduate Journal of Aesthetics On-line, 4(2).
(2004). The Art of Distancing: How formal devices manage our emotional responses to literature. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 62, 153-162.
(2000). Can Music Function as a Metaphor of Emotional Life?. Special Issue of Revue Francaise d’Etudes Americaines, 86, 77-89.
(2000). Languages of Art at the Turn of the Century. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 58, 213-218.
(1997). Sparshott on Art and Expression. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 31, 9-17.
Robinson, J. & Karl, G. (1995). Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony and the Musical Expression of Cognitively Complex Emotions. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 53, 401-415.
(1995). L’éducation sentimentale. Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 73, 212-226.
Robinson, J. & Karl, G. (1995). Levinson on Hope in The Hebrides. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 53, 195-199.
(1995). Startle. Journal of Philosophy (92), 53-74.
(1994). The Expression and Arousal of Emotion in Music. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 52, 13-22.
Robinson, J. & Ross, S. (1990). Women, Morality and Fiction”. Hypatia, 5, 76-90.
(1990). Mapplethorpe and the New Inquisition. Images, 5, 42-43.
(1985). Style and Personality in the Literary Work. Philosophical Review (94), 227-247.
(1984). General and Individual Style in Literature. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 43, 147-158.
(1983). Emotion, Judgment and Desire. Journal of Philosophy, 80, 731-741.
(1981). Style and Significance in Art History and Art Criticism. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 40, 5-14.
(1981). Representation in Music and Painting. Philosophy, 56, 408-413.
(1979). Some Remarks on Goodman’s Language Theory of Pictures. British Journal of Aesthetics, 19, 63-75.
(1979). Expressing the Way the World Is: Expression as Reference. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 13, 29-44.
(1978). Two Theories of Representation. Erkenntnis, 12, 37-53.
(1977). The Eliminability of Artistic Acts. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism (36), 81-89.
(1977). Syntax, Meaning and Context: A Reply to Keenan. Philosophical Quarterly 162-164.
(1974). The Individuation of Speech Acts. Philosophical Quarterly 316-336.
Electronic Journal
(2007). Expression and Expressiveness in Art. Postgraduate Journal of Aesthetics, 4 (2).
Review
(2008). Daniel Levitin, This is Your Brain On Music. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 66, 91-4.
(2007). Matthew Kieran (ed.) Contemporary Debates in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art.Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews On-line,
(2006). Jesse Prinz, Gut Reactions. British Journal of Aesthetics, 206-208.
(2004). Peter Goldie, The Emotions: A Philosophical Exploration. Ethics 114, 346-350.
(2002). Jerrold Levinson (ed.), Aesthetics and Ethics. Mind 111, 687-693.
(2000). Peter Kivy, Philosophies of Arts: An Essay in Differences. Philosophical Review 109, 746-749.
(1997). Frank Henderson Stewart, Honor. Mind 106, 798-800.
(1996). Stephen Davies, Musical Meaning and Expression. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 54, 307-309.
(1992). Ora Avni, The Resistance of Reference. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 50, 258-260.
(1991). Patricia S. Greenspan, Emotions and Reasons. Canadian Philosophical Reviews 11, 101-104.
(1990). Annette Barnes, On Interpretation. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 48, 163-165.
(1989). Ronald de Sousa, The Rationality of Emotion. Canadian Philosophical Reviews, 9, 224-228.
(1989). Marcia Eaton, Basic Issues in Aesthetics. Teaching Philosophy 12, 95-97.
(1987). Nelson Goodman, Of Mind and Other Matters. Journal of Aesthetic Education 21, 117-120.
(1987). C. G. Prado, Making Believe. Philosophical Review 96, 138-141.
(1985). C. Calhoun and R. C. Solomon (eds.), What is an Emotion?. Teaching Philosophy 8, 79-81.
(1984). Catherine Elgin, With Reference to Reference. Canadian Philosophical Reviews 4, 22-24.
(1984). Journal of Aesthetic Education 18, [Review of Frank Lentricchia, After the New Criticism ] 116-118.
(1979). Eugene Goodheart, The Failure of Criticism. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 37, 365-366.
In Press
. Emotion. In Jesse Prinz (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Psychology Oxford University Press.
. Aesthetic Emotion. In David Sander and Klaus Scherer (Eds.), Affective Sciences From A to Z Oxford University Press.
. Intentionality. In David Sander and Klaus Scherer (Eds.), Affective Sciences From A to Z Oxford University Press.
. Emotional Responses to Music: What are they? How do they work? And are they relevant to aesthetic appreciation?. In Peter Goldie (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Emotion Oxford University Press.
. Emotion and the Understanding of Narrative. In Gary Hagberg and Walter Jost (Eds.), Blackwell Companion to the Philosophy of Literature Blackwell.
Presentations
Invited Presentations
(11-2007. ) Emotion .Conference on Mind, Agency, and Emotion, University of San Francisco.
(11-2007. ) Music and Mood .Aesthetics Forum, University College London.
(04-2006. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .University of California at Davis.
(11-2007. ) Emotion .Conference on Emotion, Morality and Preference, Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University College London.
(02-2006. ) What Emotions Are and How they Respond to Music .University of Indiana, Bloomington.
(10-2007. ) Emotion as Process .University of Sheffield Philosophy Department.
(10-2007. ) Emotion as Process .University of Leeds Philosophy Department.
(10-2007. ) Emotion as Process .University of Nottingham Philosophy Department.
(09-2007. ) Comments on Jesse Prinz on Aesthetic Appreciation .Aesthetic Psychology conference, University of Durham.
(04-2007. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .Philosophy Department, University of Utah.
(03-2005. ) Emotion in Music .Bryn Mawr University.
(04-2007. ) What Emotions Are and How they Respond to Music .Conference on Art and the Brain, University of Illinois.
(04-2007. ) Comments on Jesse Prinz, “Emotion and Aesthetic Value" .American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division meetings, San Francisco.
(06-2004. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .University of Bristol, U.K..
(03-2007. ) Emotion as Process .Weber State University.
(06-2004. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .one-day Aesthetics Conference, University of Leeds, U.K..
(2004. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .Symposium on Narrative, Imagination, and Emotion, American Philosophical Association Central Division Meetings, Chicago.
(10-2005. ) Emotion .Mount Holyoke College.
(03-2005. ) Emotion .California State University at Fullerton.
(03-2005. ) Lecture on Musical Expression .Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia.
(09-2004. ) Expression in Music: Genuine Expression or Doggy Appearance? .British Society for Aesthetics annual conference, Oxford, U.K. .
(2004. ) Listening with Emotion: How our emotions help us to understand music .University of Sussex, U.K..
(2004. ) Expression in Music: Genuine Expression or Doggy Appearance? .American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division meetings.
(2004. ) In Defense of Reader-Response Theory .American Society for Aesthetics group meeting at the American Philosophical Association , Pacific Division meetings.
(12-2003. ) What Emotions Are and How they Respond to Music .Symposium on Music and Literature, American Philosophical Association Eastern Division meetings.
(2003. ) Emotion: Biological Fact or Social Construction? .University of York, England.
(2003. ) What emotions are and how they respond to music .University of Southampton, England.
(2003. ) Emotion: Biological Fact or Social Construction? .University of Texas at Arlington.
(2003. ) Listening with Emotion: How our emotions help us to understand music .College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, Thinking about Music series.
(2003. ) Emotion and Value .California Polytechnic State University at Pomona,
(2003. ) Feeling the Music .University of Virginia.
(2003. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .College of Charleston,
(2003. ) Emotion and Narrative Understanding .Virginia Polytechnic University.
(2008. ) Emotional Responses to Music: What are they? How do they work? And are they relevant to aesthetic appreciation? .Auburn University, Auburn Alabama.
(2008. ) Robert C. Solomon on Sentimentality in Art and Literature .American Society for Aesthetics Pacific Division, Pacific Grove, California.
(2008. ) Music and Mood .Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
(2008. ) Solomon on Emotion .Memorial Conference for Robert C. Solomon, University of Texas, Austin.
(2007. ) Replies to Critics .Conference on Art, Expression and Emotion: Themes from the Work of Jenefer Robinson, University of Nottingham, England.
(2007. ) Emotion as Process .Conference on Emotion, Morality and Preference, Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University College London, England .
(2007. ) Emotion as Process .Moral Sciences Club, Cambridge University, England.
(2005. ) Expression in Music .Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia.
(2003. ) What Emotions Are and How they Respond to Music .Symposium on Music and Literature, American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Meetings,
(2007. ) Emotion and Music .Symposium on "Aesthetics and Science," American Society for Aesthetics annual conference, Los Angeles,
(2007. ) Music and Emotion .Workshop on Music and Philosophy, Music Department, University of Nottingham UK,
Lecture
(11-15-2007. ) Emotion and Music .University of Nottingham.
(09-15-2007. ) Emotion and Music .University of Nottingham.
(09-01-2007. ) Emotion and Literature .University of Nottingham.
(02-2007. ) Emotion as Process .University of Utah.
(2008. ) Emotional Responses to Music: What are they? How do they work? And are they relevant to aesthetic appreciation? .Philadelphia.
(2006. ) What Emotions Are and How they Respond to Music .Washington University St. Louis.
Paper Presentations
(09-2007. ) Expression and Expressiveness in Art .Oxford, U.K. .
(07-2005. ) Listening with Emotion: How emotions help us to understand music .Bari, Italy.
(04-2005. ) Reply to Charles Starkey on “Are Emotions ‘Of a Kind’?” .Chicago.
(04-2005. ) Emotion and Expression .Chicago.
(03-2005. ) Reply to Critics, “Author Meets Critics” session on my book, Deeper than Reason .San Francisco.
(03-2005. ) How to Think about Basic Emotions .San Francisco.
(10-2004. ) Listening with Emotion: How emotions help us to understand music .Houston.
(10-2006. ) Reply to Ryan Martin on “The Aesthetic Incentive" .Milwaukee.
(2005. ) Reply to Critics, "Author meets Critics" session on my book Deeper than Reason .American Society for Aesthetics annual conference, Providence RI.
(2004. ) Expression in Music: Genuine Expression or Doggy Appearance? .
(2004. ) In Defense of Reader-Response Theory .
(2003. ) Parallel Processes: How Music Expresses Emotion .Pacific Grove.
(2007. ) Solomon on Emotions .
Symposium
(11-2007. ) Aesthetics and Science .Los Angeles.
(04-2007. ) Symposium on Robert C. Solomon .Chicago.
(03-2005. ) How to Think about Basic Emotions .Pacific Division meetings, San Francisco.
Honors and Awards
2007 -2008 Leverhulme Visiting Professor, University of Nottingham, UK
2007 -2009 Vice-President, American Society for Aesthetics (President 2009-11).
2006 Rieveschl Award for Scholarly and/or Creative Works, University of Cincinnati, 2006
2006 -2007 External Faculty Fellowship, Tanner Humanities Center, University of Utah
2002 -2003 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship at the National Humanities Center
Courses Taught
15-PHIL-250 AESTHETICS FINE ART
15-PHIL-280 LOVE ANGER & FEAR
15-PHIL-277 PHIL & THE ARTS
15-PHIL-397H EYE, MIND & ART
Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Mind
The Concept of Emotion
Approaches to Fiction
15-PHIL-399
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Issues in Aesthetics and Ethics
Music and Meaning