The Rationality of Goals and the Role of Reactive Emotions

In the proposed research project I want to investigate whether, and if so, in what way the choice of our goals can be rationally assessed. Against the standard account of instrumental rationality according to which only the means to given goals can be rationally chosen, I will, endeavour to delineate criteria that allow to specify various ways in which we rationally choose goals. I will. try to show that structural as well as temporal aspects of our goals yield reasons for their choice. In order to pin down conditions of practical coherence which can justify the choice of our goals in the framework of our life span I will analyze various theories which have dealt with the question of how the choice of our goals can be assessed: The critical discussion of theories of well-being and an analysis of the newly defended thesis that particularly practical conflicts can show that our goals are incommensurable will serve as points of departure against which I will attempt to specify conditions of practical coherence. In order to further sustain my thesis that the choice of our goals can be rationally assessed, I will show that emotions like regret and particularly anticipated regret move us to make a coherent choice of our goals. Cognitive theories of emotions more generally allow to underpin my thesis that reactive emotions cognitively understood play an important role in the rational choice of our goals.