In previous thoughts, we have examined what can be the physiological background of qualia, the physical background of feeling . It can be s...
In previous thoughts, we have examined what can be the physiological background of qualia, the physical background of feeling. It can be seen that there is a nervous system process related to the appearance of qualia that is suitable for the physical explanation of the sensation of feeling. During the physiological description of the phenomenon, we found that qualia are a complex sensation, which does not require the presence of the activity of the creating senses. Qualia are the activity of high-level neural structure formed by the activity of the senses, a brain echo of perception that can be evoked even without the causing sensation.
However, this physiological description is not suitable for explaining all the phenomena associated with qualia. What is hunger? What are fear and anger? What is pain? What are love and affection? What are suffering and joy? What is happiness? What is this strange feeling: emotion?
Emotion is obviously a type of qualia. Sensory activity is also behind emotions, but it is very difficult to link emotion, for example, anxiety or happiness to direct sensory activity. Many times there can be no findings at all about a specific sensory cause for emotion. Yet emotion exists, influences, often determines our actions, causes specific and direct nervous system activity. The nervous system connection of emotion as a feeling is more indirect, yet, the connection is indisputable.
Emotion as a manifestation of qualia seems to be truly superior to physical existence. It is difficult to apply to this phenomenon the physiological process previously formulated for qualia, which defines the phenomenon of qualia as extensive neural activity conditioned by the sensory inputs.
The special physiological background of emotion is also indicated by the fact that it can be influenced much more directly with chemical, psychoactive substances than other phenomena belonging to the group of sensation, those which can be more directly related to nervous system activity. However, we know that electrical nervous system processes in the brain also operate on a chemical basis. The relationship of emotion to chemicals shows that chemical processes play a much more decisive role in the development of emotion than simply their well-known role as neural synaptic stimulus transmitters.
The special function of emotion is also shown by the fact that it not only influences some of our actions but also affects our overall, complex behavior, sometimes in a defining way. Emotion is a global phenomenon, with a significant portion of the brain involved.
Using the supposed, previously specified nervous system process of qualia, and using the chemical background of emotion, we can also find a physical, physiological background for the functioning of emotion. Moreover, we can define the necessary role of the existence of emotion. We are going to see that emotion is a necessary function of the advanced nervous system.
The brain is not simply an electrical nervous system. The electrical network of the brain is based on chemical processes and chemical substances. The electrical activity of the brain is affected by the level of chemicals. The connection between neurons connected by synapses is ensured by the release and uptake of chemicals. However, there are also chemicals that can affect a significant part of the brain.
These are the hormones. We know that the brain is able to produce and release these chemicals that affect its electrical activity, with the contribution and assistance of electrical nervous system activity.
After this, we can now formulate what the physiology of emotion is. Emotion is a special form of qualia, a physiological process that affects nervous system electrical activity globally (through emitted chemicals) and interactively (through inductive and feedback mechanisms).
How does hunger work? Hunger is a feeling related to the state of a biological organism. Hunger is a fundamental emotion, it is essential to sustain life, it has been with us since we were born. The feeling of hunger is regulated by chemicals, regulated by hormones. Because hunger is an innate trait, it also connects to innate reflexes. In the case of a human infant, it is crying, yawning behavior with birds, etc., to which, for example, parents respond by feeding. When the body has had enough food, the release of the hunger hormone ceases, and the nutritional reflexes cease.
The role of the hunger-causing hormone, the chemical, is to signal globally that intervention is needed. The hormone and the associated nervous system activity is present until the presence of the hormone ceases by action as a result of the nervous system activity.
In the case of hunger, the hormone initially triggers a specific nervous system activity, reflex, born with us. Throughout our lives, the basic reflex associated with hunger-inducing hormone forms conditional reflexes through the plasticity of the nervous system, and then through learning it creates complex lines of action and starvation-related behaviors that eliminate hunger, the production of the hunger hormone. This behavior can be extremely complex and indirect, depending on the development of the given nervous system, such as, in the case of humans, agricultural activity or social crime, which are no longer related to the presence of hunger hormone, yet the hunger hormone may behind and underlie the behavior.
Hunger, as a manifestation of emotion, is a global signal to the brain, to the nervous system, that intervention is needed. The presence of hunger triggers action that seeks to reduce the presence of the hunger-causing hormone. Action, through neural associative relationships, through learning develops increasingly complex lines of action to eliminate hunger, according to the capabilities of the given nervous system.
What is pain, how does suffering work? A sensory network is present in the body to perceive pain. Pain is a simple perception, the activity of special receptors. Pain perception involves ancient, innate reflexes designed to reduce the activity of pain-sensing receptors. However, when pain is sensed, special chemicals, hormones are released in the brain, the appearance of which can give a global signal to the nervous system that intervention is needed.
The presence of pain triggers actions that also reduces the pain and reduces the presence of the hormone released when the pain is felt. Through neural association relationships, through learning, increasingly complex lines of action are developing to eliminate the sensation of pain, according to the capabilities of the given nervous system.
However, the production of the hormone which is released by the nervous system when pain is felt can be triggered by other nervous system activities. Chronic pain can make its production continuous. Through nervous system associative relationships, hormone production can also be triggered by sensory activity not originally associated with pain, which can also activate the memory of specifically felt physical pain.
The presence of a pain-related hormone indicates the need for an intervention that develops reflexes and then associative actions, learned, useful behaviors. However, the hormone, which is released when pain is felt can also be produced by non-pain-related sensory activity or associated learned memories, complex and distant, indirect associational neural relationships. Suffering as a feeling develops that can produce depressive behavior.
How do fear, anger, aggression, and stress work? Biological organisms have varying degrees of reflex-like processes that protect the organism and seek to maintain vital functions in the event of a rough and dangerous impact or environment. Receptors that sense these stimuli not only generate basic mechanisms of action, generate reflexes, but also release hormones, a presence of a global signal of intervention to the body, and the nervous system.
However, the production of the hormone released by a sense of danger - due to the plasticity of the nervous system - can also be triggered by other nervous system activities. This can be helpful if it prevents the body from getting into a harmful situation. However, a long-term hazardous environment makes hormone production continuous and, through neural associative relationships, its production can also be triggered by sensory activity unrelated to the dangerous situation, which can also activate the memory of the specific emergency.
The presence of an emergency-related hormone indicates the need for intervention, and that develops reflexes and then associative actions, learned, useful behaviors. However, the hormone released in an emergency can also be produced by non-emergency-related sensory activity or by associated learned memories, complex and distant, indirect nervous system association relationships. Chronic fear, stress, and the attacking reflex which is useful in overcoming an emergency become an aggressive form of behavior even when the emergency does not exist.
Emotion is thus a global signal by the nervous system for the nervous system that intervention is needed, that intervention must take place. This global signaling can create complex patterns of behavior without direct, indirect, or even concrete sensory activity.
It can be concluded that love and affection are similarly functioning emotions, as are joy and happiness, and virtually all states defined by emotions.
Emotion is a special form of qualia. Emotion complements, connects, triggers, and conditions the nervous system mechanism of the qualia with global effects.
Why do we have emotion? What is emotion good for? Why do we need emotion? What is the role of emotion? It is global governance and guidance. The role and physiology of emotion is a global indication that intervention is needed, action must take place. In the physiological functioning of emotion, in interactive interaction with the senses and the nervous system, it creates intention and will, and thus develops behavior. It is an experimental fact that we cannot make decisions without emotion. The physiology of emotion creates the will and the motivation to act for us.
Emotion can be understood on a physical basis. Emotion is a necessary process for the development of complex behavior, its role and physiology are logical and consistent.
Animals and emotion
In every nervous system where the presence of hormones is recognizable, intention, and will appear, the behavior is present, and emotion also appears as a consequence. Consequently, animals also have emotions derived from hormones as described above. Animal suffering and happiness are identical in their effect and character to the human.
Consciousness and emotion
An interesting similarity and connection can be recognized between consciousness and emotion. Both are widespread phenomena of the nervous system, both are globally functioning, and acting phenomenons. Both are also related to behavior. Both are interactive influences of intention and will. However, there is a fundamental difference in the mechanism of physical functioning between them. Emotion acts globally through the release of chemicals, self-awareness functions by a supposed global neural network (shadow network). Because both are related to the nervous system, they interact as well. Self-awareness can affect the production of hormones, can affect emotions, and emotions affect self-awareness through behavior, the action of the neural activity. An advanced brain is a complex, intricate organ with feedback control systems of various forms, but its functions and operation are consistent and the functioning of the brain is understandable.
Artificial intelligence and emotion
In living beings with advanced nervous systems, emotion is the defining regulator of behavior. Its function is to signal globally that an intervention must take place, signaling the request of action because some kind of stimulus that triggers the global signal is present. Thus, this physiological process, which we call emotion, has a global leading role in determining the direction of actions.
Also during the creation of General Artificial Intelligence, one of the problems that need to be solved is how to manage the independently operating system, how to persuade it to perform useful tasks. In the creation of General Artificial Intelligence, if we create global signals in the robot's control system that instruct it that must create an intervention and must initiate action, the system becomes controllable. If we design and program this global signal properly, we can direct the General Artificial Intelligence-based system to perform specific actions, and even make it suitable for the behavior that is right for us.
The discussion of this function in the context of the possibilities of developing universal, autonomous, adaptive systems has been defined and the idea of how to control robots has also been raised. The mechanism of global control, which is the physical realization of emotion, is a necessary criterion for the realization of universal, autonomous, adaptive systems, the creation of General Artificial Intelligence.
Conclusion
In biological systems, the function of emotion is necessary, its operation can be understood on a physiological basis. During the creation of General Artificial Intelligence, the function of emotion can be used to control the system, its specific physical implementation can be implemented in robots.
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