Overview

The Moral Psychology of Fear brings together contemporary philosophers to consider how fear can shape or compromise moral motivation, and in particular the ways in which fear might motivate morally and politically troubling actions for individuals and communities. While the topics addressed by the chapters vary widely, the contributors share a commitment to analyzing the moral significance of fear for motivation, action, and responsibility in novel and creative ways. Edited by Ami Harbin, the volume is divided into four parts: In Part I, authors lay the groundwork for new philosophical analyses of fear by establishing some theoretical considerations about the connection of fear to injustice and the scope of what kinds of experiences count as fear. Part II turns to everyday experiences of fear—like fear of missing out and fear of one’s own death—that can have surprising moral implications. Part III delves into the way fears have been present in contexts of climate and public health crisis. Part IV offers reflections on the complex position of fear in some of the most charged political issues facing communities: migration, political polarization, violence, and oppressive ideologies more broadly.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ami Harbin
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Imprint:   Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
ISBN:  

9781666958157

ISBN 10:   1666958158
Pages:   304
Publication Date:   27 November 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction: Fearing for Our Moral Lives, by Ami Harbin Part I: Expanding Senses of Fear Chapter 1. Fear and Affective Injustice, by Alfred Archer and Georgie Mills Chapter 2. Endemic Fear, by Alisa Carse Chapter 3. Unshareable Fears, Fearing Alone, and Narrative Self-Estrangement, by Anna Gotlib Part II: Fears in Moral Life Chapter 4. The Fear of Life Regret, by Ernesto V. Garcia Chapter 5. Fearing Our Deaths, Grieving Our Selves, by Michael Cholbi Chapter 6. Algorithmophobia: False Fables, and Assuming Authorship, by Carter Hardy Part III: Fear, Climate, and Health Chapter 7. Reconciled Instability: Climate Change and Existential Anxiety, by Stuart Hanscomb Chapter 8. Fear and Pandemics: The Role Rear has Played Globally in Response to New Diseases, by Ruth Groenhout Chapter 9. Fermenting Idiosyncratic Pandemic Feelings, by Alexis Shotwell Chapter 10. Epistemic Injustice and the Fear of Autism, by Amandine Catala Part IV: Fear, Politics, and Violence Chapter 11. Reputational Fear, Virtue Signaling, and Political Polarization, by Jessica Vargas González Chapter 12. On the ‘Allowables’ of Violence in a Civic Crisis, by R.S. Leiby Chapter 13. Fear and Trust Under Conditions of Oppression, by Corinne Lajoie Chapter 14. Oppressive Fear, by Barrett Emerick About the Contributors Index

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Author Information

Ami Harbin is associate professor of philosophy and women and gender studies at Oakland University, USA.

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