Abstract

The chapter introduces the topic of heartfelt connection and discusses both why it has been ignored by philosophers and its importance in life and its philosophical relevance. It introduces the Strawsonian structure of “reactive attitudes,” which mediate human relationship from a “participant” (second-person) perspective. It also discusses reactive attitudes’ central features. It argues that the metaphorical character of “heart” is no bar to philosophical investigation, since it can easily be interpreted as a syndrome of emotional vulnerabilities and susceptibilities and, is any case, something everyone recognizes in their own experience. It then introduces each of the chapters to follow along with short summaries.