The Logic of Emotions

Author : Bart Nelson
About ten years ago it occured to me that mankind had learned little about emotions. It was as though we had all been looking in the wrong direction in our search for reason within emotions. I knew that basically our opinion of emotions was that they were primitive remnants of our caveman days. So I thought that I would take the opposite approach and assume that they are sophisticated, rational, and advanced....so advanced that we hadn't figured them out yet. Basically I assumed that emotions are logical and then tried to prove it. Below I have listed the steps of my logic.If there is a logic to emotions then that means that emotions must be logical.If both our emotions and our rational minds are logical then everything up there is logical: sounds like a natural computer to me.Computers run programs.What is the main overriding program that my brain runs? What is the primary program of my mind?The main function of all organs in the body is survival. So whatever the main program of my brain is it must be irrevocably intertwined with survival. It must be the one function that my brain seeks to accomplish, which, above all other functions, will enhance my survivability.The one thing that my brain can do that will enhance my survivability above all other rational functions is to "predict the future". There is nothing else that the brain can do that will give me a better chance to survive and thrive. All other functions of the brain are subfunctions in support of that main objective.If emotions are the output of a natural computer whose main program is to predict the future then emotions must be directly related to that function. Somehow emotions are predictions of the future based upon experiences from the past.Rule # 1: The primary evolutionary function of the brain is to predict the future by accumulating information, detecting the patterns within, and extrapolating into the future. (Our brains are extrapolation computers)Rule # 2: Emotions are predictions of the future based upon experiences from the past.Rule # 3: Experiences are stored in both rational and physical form.But how can an emotion be a prediction of the future?? That makes no sense at first. But thats okay, if the logic of emotions had been obvious we would have figured all this out a long time ago. So how do emotions predict the future?When we are babies we cry and we giggle. Are those emotions? Laughing and crying are certainly things that we definitely consider "emotional" reactions. But how can a baby two days old be predicting the future? Perhaps what is happening when a baby cries is a "spontaneous physiological reaction" to pain or displeasure. Eventually though, an emotion is is the anticipation of experiencing that "physiological reaction" in the future. In fact, just by remembering experiences from the past, our bodies begin to react automatically to those memories by activating the very same physiological processes associated with the past experience. An emotion is a physiological reaction now to something that hasn't occured yet based upon the mind's memory of a similar experience in the past.So the key to understanding emotions is "time"."Time" involves past, present, and future.All emotions involve elements of a) past: the perceived memory of a past experienceb) present: the physiological reaction now based upon the memory of that past experiencec) future: the need to brace for or prepare for an impending experienceEmotions involve physiological reactions now in anticipation of a perceived stimulus that is coming. Emotions involve physiolocal surges of energy that are meant to be used now to prepare for the future based upon the memory of experiences from the past.Emotions regulate our flow of energy. Emotions are the body's throttle. We perceive something headed our way in the future, and, based upon our memories of similar experiences from the past, the body suddenly provides the energy necessary to take steps now to prepare for its arrival. Preparing now for something that hasn't happened yet is how mankind has prevailed over our environment. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". An ounce of prevention may also save your life. Emotions are therefore necessary for human survival. Emotions are your best friend. They are necessary and PRACTICAL.Since emotions involve physiological responses they are physical in nature. That is why emotions seem primitive; because their focus is on our physical survival. That is also why emotions take precedence over rational thought in times of crisis; because physical survival always takes precedence over everything else. Physical survival is job 1.If emotions are predictions of the future based upon experiences from the past then what are the categories of emotions? In order to answer that you must first ask yourself what are the categories of experiences from the past.Experiences from the past can broken down into two basic categories; pain and pleasure.The prediciton of pain is fear.The prediction of pleasure is hope.Hope and fear are the two "parent" emotions.Some fears are more intense than others which means that the corresponding flow of energy generated by that emotional experience is more intense. What factors are involved in determining the intensity level of an emotion?The genesis of an emotion involves three variables. 1)time2)pain/pleasure3)probabilityTime; If something we fear is far off then our reaction to it is low. If something we fear is close at hand our reaction to it ismore intense.Pain/pleasure: The intensity of the emotion is affected by whether the perceived future event or experience is painful orpleasurable. The more painful the expected pain is perceived to be based upon past experience then the moreintense the corresponding emotional reaction will be.Probability: The less likely something is to actually occur the less intense our emotional reaction now will be to it.These three variables can be used to label the three axis of a three dimensional graph.Front to back, or depth, should be labeled as time. The future flows out in front of us and the past is in a line behind us.Up or down, or height, should be labeled as pain or pleasure. Pleasure moves us up until we are sky high, while pain brings us down to the depths of despair.Width equals probability. The farther right or left from center the future event is perceived to be the less likely it is to intersect with your life and the less intense your emotional response to this percieved potential experience will be.We are always located at the intersection of those three lines. And we look forward into the future and see it as a sea of perceived potential experiences.Our objective is to always move forward and up in a straight line. So long as we are moving up our life is getting better and better and our pleasure is increasing. As long as we are moving in a straight line then we have taken all things into consideration and have anticipated all the things we need to do to avoid being sidetracked.All of this can be drawn on a graph. If you label each line and draw an arrow from the intersection of those three lines going straight forward and up then you will have drawn the objective of not only all human life but of all life everywhere. Because all life seeks to grow up and out indefinitely. But we all know that that never happens. We get sidetracked. We have our ups and downs. And, eventually, there is no longer any future for us. We die. Death is not evil in and of itself. Death is a part of life because all life consumes and is in turn, eventually, consumed. Life consumes. Life is consumtion.But people can only extrapolate so far. Draw a big circle around the graph. Imagine that everything inside of the circle is predictable to some extent. That is that we know basically how to get from here to there. Then imagine that everything outside of the circle is beyond our reach. What is outside the circle we may not even know, but that does not stop us from imagining what is there. Is it heaven? If so, how do I get there? Is it wealth and fame beyond my imagining? If so how do I get there. The farther off your objective the less likely it is to be reached and the more faith is required to attempt to reach for it.Faith exists in degrees. All of the things inside of the circle are finite and understandable and we have some idea of how to get to them and whether or not they are achievable. The closer they are to us the less faith is required to pursue them. Everything outside of the circle requires 100% faith. Inside the circle is the realm of science. Outside of the circle is the realm of faith, or religion. Faith deals with the unknown. The circle is constantly expanding into areas that were once the province of faith alone. The circle will always be expanding. But, so long as that circle does not extend infinitly then faith will always be necessary. Because it is our nature to constantly be extrapolating where no man has extrapolated before and to try to imagine what lies outside of the circle of knowlege. We cannot help ourselves. We cannot not extrapolate. It is what we do. It is what we are. It is what our brains have evolved to do. We are driven, whether we like it or not.That graph is very instuctional. I would highly recommend that everyone draw and label that graph and look at it. It holds a lot of truth, not just about emotions, but about the nature of life and man. For instance; by using that graph I can reconcile creationism and evolution.Here's how. Re-label that up and down line not as pain and pleasure but as life and death because to the body and the spirit pain and pleasure egual life and death. The territory way up high, beyond the circle, is God's country.Now, what is God? The answer is printed right on the page in front of you. God = life.Think about it. The god that mankind worships is always that creature or diety that is seen to have the ultimate power of life over man. When we gaze out from the top of a mountain and see mile after mile of life we suddenly believe in God. Why? Because God is life and the more life we see the more we are inclined to think about him. The most famous verse in the bible says what? It says that God so loved the earth that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting ________________? LIFE! The whole point of god is life. He gives life because he is life.How does that reconcile creationism and evolution? The bible says that God created man. If God is life then evolution is the hand of God. God created man through evolution. The only sticking point left is the element of time. (Ironic isn't it?) The Bible says God created heaven and earth in seven days; seven twenty-four hour periods. If you are willing to believe that those seven days are meant symbolically instead of literally then you have no problem believing that evolution is indeed the hand of God/life.But I digress. Back to emotions. If hope and fear are the two parent emotions then what are all the rest of our "emotional" words? Well, there are only two true emotions; hope and fear. Everything else is either an appetite or an attitude.It is important to understand what an "attitude" is. An attitude is when you have multiple experiences with the same subject. Some experiences are good and some are bad. At some point you must decide what your approach to this subject is going to be. Will you ignore the bad and focus on the good? In a way you are deciding which physiological reaction you are deciding to encourage in regards to a certain subject. {This is where we begin to believe that we can choose which emotions we can experience and when. This is an illusion. Emotions are spontaneous and will occur whether you like it or not simply by association with a certain subject.} And so, by calculating what we have experienced in the past and what we hope to achieve in the future we make the complicated decision of what our attitude/approach is going to be to a certain subject. These attitudes take the form of many words that we label "emotions". But they are not true emotions, though they may be based upon emotions.Anger is an attitude. First of all one perceives a threat and experiences fear; the parent emotion of anger. Then the brain, in extemely swift and practiced fashion, calculates whether or not you percieve that you may be able to exert control over the source of the threat. This is also known as the fight of flight decision. If you perceive that you can control the threat then you decide to fight. If you perceive that you have no control then you decide to flight. See? You have made a decision to stay and fight and that decision takes the form of anger. Anger is a mental decision. It is an attitude. It is an approach. But, the human brain/computer works so fast that you are not conscious of this decision making process. But it is there nonetheless. Anger is an attitude. It is an approach that is calculated by the brain.One very practical application of this knowlege is to apply this to any situation in which you have recurring angry feelings that you do not understand or that are creating problems. Simply ask yourself what you are afraid of. Since fear is the "parent" emotion of anger it is the starting place to engage your rational mind. State as accurately as possible what your particular fear is and you will soon be finding new ways to deal with the threat. This will help you to calm down. Admitting to fear is not always easy though. But it engages the rational mind in a useful way.Hate is an attitude. If some person or place causes you nothing but pain you determine that you want nothing to do with that subject and that is hate. Fear plus the commitment to reject is hate. It is a mental decision. It is an approach.Love is also an attitude. We choose to love based upon past, present, and future expectations. Love is an approach.Loneliness is an appetite. Often the absence of stimulation creates a painfull hunger.Sad is an appetite....grieving for something you have lost or wanted to acquireLoss is an appetite.Horny is an appetite.Hunger is an appetite.Lust is an appetite.Forgiveness is an attitude. Forgiveness is acceptance. Shame is rejection. I believe that Jesus preached forgiveness because we must accept all of God's creations including people with whom we disagree. To embrace life is to experience life and that is what God is all about. The only thing that can be rejected is a path that leads downward. Paths that lead away from life are bad. You may reject a persons path but you should always strive to accept the person. It is always easier to accept/forgive if you can understand. I believe that the attempt to understand ourselves and others is a divine quest.So to sum up; there are only two true emotions.....hope and fear. Everything is else is an attitude or an appetite.Remember E=MCsquared? Well here is the human equivalent of that................... E=H+F (emotions are hope and fear)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This has been my personal take on the logic of emotions. I hope it helps you somehow. It has helped me considerably. It took me about ten years to work all this out. I am pretty sure I am right, in my limited way.If you have any comments or questions feel free to e-mail me at 01bartilr@sbcglobal.net or bartilr@msn.comBart.
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