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Humans

Could botox change your life for the better?

See more: An illustrated version of this article will be published within the next two weeks on our CultureLab books and arts blog

By Michael Bond

16 January 2013

In The Face of Emotion, Eric Finzi explores how one of the world’s most popular cosmetic procedures could alleviate depression

THE idea that emotions and feelings are triggered by changes in the body, rather than the other way round, seems counter-intuitive. Yet this idea has been entertained by psychologists for more than a century. In 1890, the father of them all, William James, wrote: “Common-sense says, we lose our fortune, are sorry and weep; we meet a bear, are frightened and run; we are insulted by a rival, are angry and strike… The more rational statement is that we feel…

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