What are emotions? You can't touch them, you can't physically see them, can't physically hear them, can't taste them, or smell them. So how do we know emotions exist and how do we know what emotions are which? All humans can feel emotions and yet they can't be explained to the point to where its proven that we do. Everything in the world is there and is in existence because of our 5 senses and emotions, yet emotions seem to lay outside that that range where they are justified. What constitutes feeling an emotion? How different is it for different people? How are they produced? So what are emotions? How do they work? The 5 senses can not detect them and yet they shape the very path of our lives! Im fucking high.
Greetings CasinoCloudz, Although our basic sensory organs cannot perceive emotions, they can be measured. Using medical devices such as an MRI, we can observe the physiological changes in brain chemistry while an individual experiences a wide range of emotions. We can observe an individuals emotional reaction to photographs, video, even realtime events. We have even been able to identify specific chemical processes which illicit certain emotions and feelings. For example, the chemical Oxytocin is a neural transmitter responsible for that feeling of emotional intimacy when you experience a touching sensation. This ranges from simple paternal bonding to sexual eroticism between two mates. This same neurotransmitter is presence and in production during these sorts of interactions. We have a lot more to learn about the brain, but our species has made some amazing progress in the last couple decades. Yours Truly, Sam_Spade
Aren't emotions a bunch of chemicals an individual releases in the brain, in reaction to a specific sensory experience? But hmm... I just sober tripped. A lot of people question the morals of humanity, how they've become what they are... its all chemistry, isn't it? Murder causes the anger and sadness chemical, so the human population and eventually society develops in such a way that minimizes anger and sadness, simply because they aren't enjoyable. Society is the way it is because of chemistry. Why is stealing bad? Because it causes chemicals to release that we've arranged to avoid. A new chemical to the human population seems to be stress, I wonder how we'll change to avoid feeling it. Or maybe we'll use drugs to counter it... Why do certain sensory events trigger the chemical that causes feelings like discomfort and anxiety? It just does?... Why do we react to these chemicals at all? Why would our brain create them. It seems like an unnecessary side detail. Life could work without emotions (Chemicals), so why do they exist at all? bah.
that's what I've always believed ..something bad happens (like breaking up with a girl) and your body releases chemicals that make you feel bad ..something good happens (like landing a new gf) and your body releases chemicals that make you feel great
Maybe its just my medical history and knowledge is not up to date. Thank you very much for helping to clear atleast where the emotions come. I still have questions though on why these chemicals are released in our brain in reaction to certain situations? I mean if someone was raised to not fear spiders and vice-versa would it constitute different chemicals? I don't know, sometimes i think too much for my own good. Thank you alot though sam
I think it'd be higher and lower levels of the same chemical, but you get the idea. Dogs. Think of the level on which dogs perceive stimuli(life). That's basically emotion to be very simple and brief. Emotion is our body's way of making our conscious self give any fraction of a shit about whatever stimuli is being perceived. Some more-so than others obviously.
Supposedly the bulk of our emotions are leftovers of our evolutionary heritage, from the times when our intelligence was not developed well enough to keep us alive. Basic emotions like fear kept us away from danger, and helped keep young ones alive, long before their brains developed the capacity to sufficiently comprehend their environment. Positive feelings generated by close contact keeps a baby close to its mother, and maternal feelings keep the mother interested in the baby's welfare. Since we can survive with these emotions anyway, there has been no need for them to be selectively removed. If there ever came a time when the influence of emotions cased people to die somehow, those people who are genetically less inclined to feel emotions will have a higher chance of survival and will most likely dominate the gene pool with time.
Another supposition: believers of biology and science tend to find themselves as having the best chance of survival.
Hahahaha Fuck emotions and fuck these terrorists god will save me im just gonna stay here and smoke a pipe.
But what you're failing to realise is cross-cultural differences; in some societies/areas things which the general western civilisation considerers immoral such as cannabalism is accepted. There is no general chemical reaction to specific events but rather the subjective opinion on such actions which causes the release of chemicals and consequently the emotions we percieve.
Thanks for the realiseation. Maybe we're a bit more socially/emotionally evolved/enabled? No? I fully admit that I may be thinking to highly about western civilization and our emotional characteristics, but isn't cannibalism a little whack? It may have been essential for survival somewhere along the line, but such isn't the case for most people, now. It isn't necessary. Its fucked up. Realizing that is a step in a... more intelligent direction, isn't it?