emotio

Emotio is a term used in philosophy of mind and cognitive science to denote the felt, subjective experience of emotion—the "what it feels like" component of an emotion. In this usage, emotio refers to the qualitative, experiential aspect that accompanies emotional arousal, rather than the cognitive appraisals, behavioral expressions, or physiological responses that often accompany emotions. The term is not a standard part of mainstream emotion theory and appears in a limited range of scholarly discussions.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from Latin emotio, meaning "movement" or "stirring" and is related to movere "to move." In some texts, emotio is offered to distinguish the experiential feel of emotion from its functional components. Depending on the author, emotio can be treated as a phenomenological notice, a felt sensation, or a momentary affective impulse.

Relationship to other terms: Emotio is often discussed in relation to affect, mood, and emotion. Some accounts treat emotio as a narrow, momentary felt quality; others view it as the broader subjective life of emotion that persists beyond a single episode. The precise boundaries between emotio and closely related terms vary across authors.

Philosophy and science: Proponents argue that emotio helps separate conscious experience from behavioral and cognitive aspects of emotion, aiding phenomenological description and self-report. Critics contend that emotio risks redundancy with established terminology and that it lacks universally agreed criteria for measurement.

See also: Emotion, Affect, Phenomenology, Appraisal theory. Because emotio is not a standard term, there is no single canonical definition, and its use tends to be limited to specific theoretical contexts.