Abstract
The article attempts to reconstruct, analyse and interpret the notion of “epistemic emotions” through the instruments of Continental Philosophy. By defining emotions as vague actions oscillating between cognition and volition, or as a “preparation for action”, and by classifying them as “primary emotions” and “secondary emotions”, the article will focus on the so-called “epistemic emotions”. Among them, fear and hope have been chosen: I will try to show how Augustine of Tagaste already worked out these emotions as latest emotionality roots – as we can see in Martin Heidegger’s interpretation, in his 1921 lectures dedicated to the Confessions.
