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Question: Question for materialists and nihilists!.!?
If our emotions only exist as matter/chemicals, then what is the point of producing a specific emotion!? Why when somebody throws something at me, do I want to punch them in the face, rather than give them a chocolate bar!? What would the biological meaning behind it all be!? If it were just for instinct, it's not helping to well!. It'd be much more beneficial for humans overall to not ever get mad!. This is only one example!.
So my overall question is:
Why do certain chemicals trigger these responses, if it is of no benefit, and there is no spiritual nor moral meaning behind what we choose!? Why did humans evolve to feel emotion!? Why do we view helping someone as "good", and why would nature choose to evolve us this way!? I hope I'm able to get my message across, because sometimes my concept doesn't come out as well as I planned!. Just a question I've thought about by myself, so I'd like to know what other people think!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
"Just as the pleasure-pain mechanism of man’s body is an automatic indicator of his body’s welfare or injury, a barometer of its basic alternative, life or death—so the emotional mechanism of man’s consciousness is geared to perform the same function, as a barometer that registers the same alternative by means of two basic emotions: joy or suffering!. Emotions are the automatic results of man’s value judgments integrated by his subconscious!.!.!.
"Man is born with an emotional mechanism, just as he is born with a cognitive mechanism; but, at birth, both are “tabula rasa!.” It is man’s cognitive faculty, his mind, that determines the content of both!. Man’s emotional mechanism is like an electronic computer, which his mind has to program—and the programming consists of the values his mind chooses!.
"But since the work of man’s mind is not automatic, his values, like all his premises, are the product either of his thinking or of his evasions!.!.!."
“The Objectivist Ethics,” The Virtue of Selfishness; Ayn Rand
"An emotion is an automatic response, an automatic effect of man’s value premises!. An effect, not a cause!. There is no necessary clash, no dichotomy between man’s reason and his emotions—provided he observes their proper relationship!."
“Playboy’s Interview with Ayn Rand,” March 1964!.
"There can be no causeless love or any sort of causeless emotion!. An emotion is a response to a fact of reality, an estimate dictated by your standards!."
Galt’s Speech, For the New Intellectual; Ayn Rand
So you see, there is spiritual and moral benefit behind "what we choose!." Do not be fooled by anyone who tells you it's "just chemicals!." Chemicals cause the physiological emotion; chemicals do not cause the cause of the physiological emotion--value judgements are that cause!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Ah that's a toughie, but I think I know exactly what you mean!. Maybe our emotions don't only exist as chemicals in the body,or maybe feelings are all just reactions, I have no idea!. I don't think this question can be answered fully until we have a much deeper understanding of the human brain!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I am not a materialist and I only lean towards nihilism when the gods are quiet, so I'm not sure your question pertains to me!.
It seems that emotion is a natural occurrence developed to propagate survival in a dog-eat-dog kind of world, fight or flee!. Perhaps in a society based purely upon reason, these emotions would become obsolete, save for entertainment value!.
As for the goodness factor, perhaps it stems from a pack mentality where the well being of the individual serves the well being of the whole!. Thereby, instinctual ensuring the survival of a species!. The more inclined we are towards nurturing the whole, the more likely we are towards ensuring our own individual survival!. When we realize that the pack, or whole, is one individual, we soon realize that this whole is part of a greater whole, which requires nurturing as well!. And so on & so forth!. This stands to reason that doing well by all, perhaps the entire planet, is doing well towards ourselves, which is the root of the evolutionary process, survival!.
Forgive the redundancy, I aim to make the meaning clear!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I'll give it a shot!.!.!.
Your reaction of wanting to punch someone in the face is a self-preservation response!. Instinct isn't so complicated that you will automatically differentiate between someone throwing a paper airplane at you and someone hurling a heavy rock at you; the reaction is quick and is meant to help you defend yourself against further attack!. In some cases it can be beneficial for humans to get aggressive, mostly for the purpose of defending themselves!.
For the main part of your question, I believe humans evolved a positive association with helping each other because they needed to live together in groups and cooperate in order to survive!. Other animals that live in groups (primates, dolphins, lions, etc!.) interact socially and help each other all the time!. Like these animals, humans helped each other by warning each other of approaching predators, grooming each other, and sharing their food!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Emotions are conditioned response and are chosen because of failure to see reality as is!. All we can do is chose in life, everything else is a result or consequence ("you reap what you sow" or karma as its known in the East)!. The mind's conditioned responses are done out of habit and "feel" (based of emotions) there is no other response!. Life is "maximum karmic opportunity" because we have the option " to chose to be compassionate, kind, loving, peaceful, forgiving which has more power than anger, hate, selfishness, vengeance, judgment, and violence!. It is our original nature to be benigning, that is why it feels good to do something for someone for goodness sake!. Jesus displayed this on its highest level by being unconditional!. Emotions have only to do with 'me' and not because of some external cause!.
"No one has the power to make you feel the way you don't want to!. Once you give someone the power to make you feel the way you don't want to, you are powerless!." Forgot who said this!.Www@QuestionHome@Com