What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bodies Affect Our Feelings

Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by clarada on Sunday September 10, 2023 @04:54AM (#37454111)

Came across a similar idea a few years ago: emotions are our perceptions of our bodies internal state.

Our subconscious responds to external events, releasing hormones and making other internal changes to our bodies. Whilst we can directly feel the impact of those changes (breathing rate, alertness, blood pressure, ...), like with our other senses, what we consciously pay attention to - what we "feel" - is the perception, which are our emotions.

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Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by guerrilla on Sunday September 10, 2023 @06:51AM (#37454660)

Is this not just an obvious scientific fact on the verge common sense? Why would anyone (who's not a religious nut or something) not think exactly that?

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Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by ethanbond on Sunday September 10, 2023 @08:29AM (#37455223)

Because if you’re not paying really, really good attention to what’s going on, it doesn’t really feel like that’s what’s happening. At least for most people!

They would describe, “anger makes my skin hot” not “my skin getting hot makes me experience anger.”

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Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by guerrilla on Sunday September 10, 2023 @09:16AM (#37455551)

That's a good answer, but it doesn't take much questioning for it to break down. What is this "anger" other than its collection of symptoms? If you strip away all of its properties and effects, then what's left for it to be? It becomes rather ghostly then.

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Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by ethanbond on Sunday September 10, 2023 @10:05AM (#37455873)

Well that’s exactly James’ point. We’re both sitting 150 years downstream of his major philosophical breakthroughs so it’s a bit hard to ask “what’s all the fuss.”

Seinfeld effect going on here :)

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Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by guerrilla on Monday September 11, 2023 @03:06AM (#37463906)

My point is it's so trvially obvious that you don't need to hear about it from anyone else.

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Re:What Is an Emotion? William James’s Theory of How Our Bod... by FollowingTheDao on Sunday September 10, 2023 @08:13AM (#37455116)

Which to me make emotions an immune response.

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