Jean Paul Sartre's theory of emotion rests on a theory of motivation which departs from the traditional view that feelings, emotions, and passions are passive experiences. Sartre claims that the emotional response is an act, a chosen response attempting to transform situations that are not resolvable by ordinary pragmatic means. Joseph P. Fell's award-winning study analyzes the internal coherence and empirical adequacy of Sartre's theory to ascertain the extent to which Sartre's conceptual innovations are justified.