Collective Emotions – Phenomenology, Ontology, and Ideology. What should we learn from Max Scheler’s War Propaganda?

Abstract

One conception of collective emotion is that of one token emotional disposition, epi­sode, or attitude with many participants. Such emotions are a collective’s. This conception has been criticized on phenomenological and ontological grounds, and it has recently been criticized as a piece of political ideology. This paper focuses on Max Scheler’s conception of collective emotion which some of those who are sympathetic to the idea in the recent debate have endorsed. It is argued that while it withstands the phenomenological and ontological objections, the issue of political ideology has to be taken seriously.