Are emotions intrinsic to our nature?

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Are emotions intrinsic to our nature?

Are the emotions that we experience, such as sadness, happiness, joy, love, hatred etc, are they innately part of the human make-up, or are they learnt?

Feral children, for example, children how have for whatever reason, been “brought-up” by packs of dogs, do not display human emotions. This suggests that emotions are dependent upon having human interaction, which suggests that emotions are an intrinsically “human” thing, but they are not an intrinsic part of our nature.

It seems that being aware of our emotions is a key factor in “feeling” any emotion at all, and this would obviously be dependent upon human interaction.

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[+3] - Setanta - 10/03/2010[quote="existential potential"]Feral children, for example, children how have for whatever reason, been â��brought-upâ�� by packs of dogs, do not display human...

@existential potential,

existential potential wrote:

Feral children, for example, children how have for whatever reason, been “brought-up” by packs of dogs, do not display human emotions.

What is your basis for this claim? I know of only one case of a feral child having been discovered, in France in the 19th century. I'd be interested to know if you have information on other feral children. Surely you're not just making things up as you go along ? ! ? ! ?

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@Setanta,

and i would guess that such folks would still have emotions, dogs play and look happy, it might be a matter of interpretation, we can't evaluate an animals emotional state because it differs from ours or can't be easily communicated

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@djjd62,

Of course, which was the point i was trying to make. I went to get a link: The Wikipedia article on Victor of Aveyron. I was off in my claim--he was initially found late in the 18th century, and then was taken for "examination" in 1800.

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This is from the article i linked:

Quote:

While Victor did not learn to speak the language that Itard tried to teach him, it seems that Victor did make progress in his behavior towards other people. At the Itard home, housekeeper Madame Guérin was setting the table one evening while crying over the loss of her husband. Victor stopped what he was doing and displayed consoling behavior towards her. Itard reported on this progress.

Itard is the medical student who took Victor into his home (and Victor, of course, is the feral boy).

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Dr. Sacks, a neuroscientist, speaks about the evolutionary process behind emotion. Emotions serve a purpose in our survival as a species. I'm not sure if that's a common thread in neuroscience in general. If he's right, then it seems that emotion is at least somewhat innate. My guess is that the expression of emotion is thing thing that is learned.

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@existential potential,

It can be both, but for the average person it's, but I would put it "are emotions learned or inherent".

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@djjd62,

Quote:

we can't evaluate an animals emotional state because it differs from ours or can't be easily communicated

Come on the very reason we can have close relationship with dogs and cats is there are plainly a great overlap and common share emotions between us.

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I believe there are only 5 "real" emotions. Anger, Fear, Sorrow, Happiness and Love. As I write this, my dog sits at my feet. I'm sure he feels at least 2 of these emotions, maybe more. I'm sure all the mysterious tarzans out there would be capable of and would display these emotions as well.

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Show me an animal that does not experience fear and I'll show you an extinct species.

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@Merry Andrew,

Merry Andrew wrote:

Show me an animal that does not experience fear and I'll show you an extinct species.

primate animals

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@north,

What are primate animals?

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@existential potential,

existential potential wrote:

Are emotions intrinsic to our nature?

Are the emotions that we experience, such as sadness, happiness, joy, love, hatred etc, are they innately part of the human make-up, or are they learnt?

Feral children, for example, children how have for whatever reason, been “brought-up” by packs of dogs, do not display human emotions. This suggests that emotions are dependent upon having human interaction, which suggests that emotions are an intrinsically “human” thing, but they are not an intrinsic part of our nature.

It seems that being aware of our emotions is a key factor in “feeling” any emotion at all, and this would obviously be dependent upon human interaction.

but this example for yours does not mean that this child does not have emotions

emotions are not confined to Humans alone

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@littlek,

Humans and simians (apes, gorilla, chimpanzees) I believe are primates - which makes North's contribution confusing.

Do fleas have fear, or amoebae, or lice? in reference to Merry Andrew's statement about 'no fear' = 'extinct'. I guess it depends on how you define fear. Are tropisms fear?

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@hingehead,

hingehead wrote:

Humans and simians (apes, gorilla, chimpanzees) I believe are primates - which makes North's contribution confusing.

Do fleas have fear, or amoebae, or lice? in reference to Merry Andrew's statement about 'no fear' = 'extinct'. I guess it depends on how you define fear. Are tropisms fear?

do elephants have fear

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@north,

Quote:

do elephants have fear

It depends on how you define fear, but I'd say unequivocally elephants feel fear and display fear-driven behaviours.

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@north,

I'd assume in order to feel fear the animal must have a brain. Fleas, lice and amoebae don't qualify.

I would think that elephants most definitely feel fear insert human hunters, tigers et al. They are also well know mourners which suggests love and sorrow, and they do go on rampages....

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so back to the begining of the thread

emotions are intrinsic to our nature

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@Ceili,

Quote:

I'd assume in order to feel fear the animal must have a brain. Fleas, lice and amoebae don't qualify.

Ok... so define brain... <grin>

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@Ceili,

Cats had both complex emotions and complex behaviors that benefit them.

To me both cats and human had this capability hard wire into us along with all higher mammals and for the same reason it promote survival such as the ability to be able to emotional bond with others.

When my youngest cat now wishes for my attention when I am on the computer she will begin to gently love bit my typing fingers!

A year ago, she had given up and stops eating because as the smallest of the litter she was not getting enough food to matter.

When I then placed her in a room with food by herself, she just look at it and still refused to eat.

The only way she would eat is when I placed the food in my hand for her and talk to her and love her up and as she eat the food she also would give my hand gentle love bits at the same time.

Her abilities to express emotions this complex and therefore bond with me is surely an evolution advantage of the first order for her.

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Are emotions intrinsic to our nature?

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