Comments on Panexperientialism: Feelings and fitness

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2009-10-20T03:56:46.141-07:00

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2007-07-03T00:05:00.000-07:00

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I think that's a very good account of how higher o...

2007-04-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

I think that's a very good account of how higher order information processing and cognitive functioning might have evolved.

However, I meant "epiphenomneal" in the sense of not having any causal influence on the body or behaviour.

The argument of Cairns-Smith is that if subjective consciousness had no effects on behaviour then there would be no evolutionary reason why, generally speaking, subjective feelings are appropriately associated with behaviours in ways which enhance survival (eg destructive pains "feel bad", sex feels good, the feeling of hunger is unpleasant until satiated etc) .

I'd say it's important to remember that evolution ...

2007-04-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

I'd say it's important to remember that evolution can break certain "meta frames". Notably, if some variation "works better", it doesn't matter much whether the change is purely biochemical, developmental, an "accidental" interaction with the environment, or even an epiphenomenon of some other process. All that matters is that it's heritable in some fashion.

Now consider this account of how "emotions" can make sense even in reductionistic terms....

1) "Appropriate response to the environment" is selectable on every level. That starts with primary senses and reflex responses.

2) Modal behavior is another early advance -- initially recognizing whether current circumstances are "hostile", "crowded", "feast", etc. Anything that makes it more accurate works better, and associative memory is an early contender.

3) Both senses and the processing thereof continue to advance -- but so does the internal state-machine representing the modalities, and that association network. The "reptile brain" is a bit of a cliche, but that limbic system is still the core of our own minds.

4) At some point, the two advances merge to produce modeling of the external world. This allows not only planning and problem-solving, but also complex social interaction. Social identities start to emerge.

5) The social complexities both encourage and support better communications and signalling. When this feeds back into the world-modelling capacities, it allows for abstract thought and reflective self-awareness.