Jon Elster has written a comprehensive, wide-ranging book on the emotions in which he considers the full range of theoretical approaches. Drawing on history, literature, philosophy and psychology, Elster presents a complete account of the role of the emotions in human behaviour. While acknowledging the importance of neurophysiology and laboratory experiment for the study of emotions, Elster argues that the serious student of the emotions can learn more from the great thinkers and writers of the past, from Aristotle to Jane Austen. He attaches particular importance to the work of the French moralists, notably La Rochefoucauld, who demonstrated the way esteem and self-esteem shape human motivation. The book also maintains a running dialogue with economists and rational-choice theorists. Combining methodological and theoretical arguments with empirical case-studies and written with Elster's customary verve and economy, this book has great cross-disciplinary appeal.

乔恩·埃尔斯特，现任教于哥伦比亚大学政治学系，担任社会科学方面的罗伯特·K·默顿教授职位，主要从事政治理论方面的教学任务，研究领域包括政治理论、理性选择理论和制宪过程研究。他出版著作多部，主要著作有：《逻辑与社会》、《理解马克思》、《社会黏合剂：社会秩序的研究》等。《心灵的炼金术：理性与情感》是其代表作之一。同时，他还发表学术论文一百五十多篇。