Are emotional states based in the brain? A critique of affective brainocentrism from a physiological perspective.

We call the tendency to privilege the brain over other parts of the organism when defining or explaining emotions. We distinguish two versions of this tendency. According to , emotional states are entirely realized by brain processes.

The Embodied and Situated Nature of Moods.

In this paper I argue that it is misleading to regard the brain as physical basis or "core machinery" of moods. First, empirical evidence shows that brain activity not only influences, but is in turn influenced by, physical activity taking place in other parts of the organism (such as the endocrine and immune systems). It is therefore not clear why the core machinery of moods ought to be restricted to the brain.