Feeling all controlled by brain or is it really there?

[Thebluepillow]

Do u think feeling is all controlled by the brain and that we can live without feeling or is it something that we must with live? for example pain is controlled by the brain pain only occurs to people when they are aware of the injury. so technically can't we get rid of pain and live without it?

What do you think?

 

[Thebluepillow]

I think that technically we can rid our selves form pain but to do that we would need almost absolute control over the brain or be able to block the brain from certain parts of our body which I find impossible. You know what they say nothing is impossible.

 

[Thebluepillow]

What do u guys think about hunger and death? Is it controlled by our brains our is it really there?

 

[Mk]

What do u guys think about hunger and death? Is it controlled by our brains our is it really there?

There's no difference. Hunger is a mental construct to make you keep eating food, keep getting calories and nutrients so you don't die.

 

[wuliheron]

Without nerves in our bodies, we feel no pain. Without sensory input from our bodies, we have no mind or emotions, in fact, we die.

The soviet union did an interesting, if inhumane, experiment involving infant orphans. The instructed their caretakers not to pick them up unless absolutely necessary (ie- to change a diaper or feed them, etc.) Babies began dying in droves. All mammals require the loving touch of a parent to survive, it is built into our physiology.

Another interesting case involved the first accident victim dianosed as having lost the ability to emote due to a brain injury. His condition could not be hid for long because he was running on memories and could not adapt to novel situations. Without an emotional context in which to give novel situations meaning he was like a fish out of water.

Hence, our feelings are an integral aspect of being human and can only crudely be spoken of as being located solely within our brains.

 

[Mk]

Without nerves in our bodies, we feel no pain. Without sensory input from our bodies, we have no mind or emotions, in fact, we die.

That's silly. You can physically live with or without emotions. Emotions help the most in social situations, and other times, but they aren't needed.

The soviet union did an interesting, if inhumane, experiment involving infant orphans. The instructed their caretakers not to pick them up unless absolutely necessary (ie- to change a diaper or feed them, etc.) Babies began dying in droves. All mammals require the loving touch of a parent to survive, it is built into our physiology.

I think they died because no body was taking care of them. Not emotoinally, physically. Babies are dumb enough to accidentally hurt themselves very badly, then not understand that they shouldn't do it again—and many adults too. If the had somebody only change the diaper and feed them and etc, keeping them safe is also a lacking part.

Another interesting case involved the first accident victim dianosed as having lost the ability to emote due to a brain injury. His condition could not be hid for long because he was running on memories and could not adapt to novel situations. Without an emotional context in which to give novel situations meaning he was like a fish out of water.

What? There are plenty of people around that aren't psychopathic murderers or invalids that have no, or a serious lack of, empathy, but they do have sympathy and they do fine in life. I equate this to that. Not being able to feel emotions does not mean you cannot understand and react to others' emotions.

 

[wuliheron]

Just about all mammals require some kind of physical stimulation at birth. Generally their mothers will nose them around a little and lick their fir. Without this stimulation they will die within hours.

In another experiment, shortly after birth monkeys were given a wire mesh surrogate mother with bottles for breasts. If the mesh was covered with carpet they did a little better, but in both cases the monkey's became withdrawn, seldom reproduced, and displayed emotional difficulties.

None of this is particularly surprising. In general, the more intelligent the animal, the more complex its emotional makeup and the greater the demands on the parents.

And finally, in the case of the man who lost the ability to emote I mean he lost all ability to emote. Sociopaths may not feel sympathy or empathy, but they still get a thrill out what they do. Likewise with autistics and others.

 

[loseyourname]

wuliheron is right, MK. It's been demonstrated by Antonio Damasio that a person who does not experience emotion is incapable of making day-to-day decisions, some as simple as what to eat or whether or not to go to work. His case subject, whom he code-named "Elliot," if I recall, was rendered basically paralyzed by the smallest of choices.