Humans/Animals---Emotions and Feelings

[RelentlessChaos]

ok......so i kinda talked about this in another thread, and another thread kinda inspired me to make this.

Hows come animals and humans are so different. Certainly we are alike in some ways, but we are so much more complex, and smarter.

-Hows come i feel guilt when i do something considered "wrong" although i know i wont get caught, nor in trouble or anything like that. Hows come i feel guilty? Sometimes its not even affecting anyone. Animals seem so much different. They kill to survive, fight for survival etc......do you think they feel guilty??? certainly not.

Anyone understanding my point? Hows come we are not the same? See, i think it IS the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our wrong doing. Sure animals learn from cause and effect, but do you think they feel sorrow, hate, and have the emotions we do? highly doubt it. And i dont agree when someone says they get thier morals and standards from "cause and effect" situations. Hows come you dont just learn to not do it. You feel guilty, shame.

[dumac]

all these emotions are for the benefit of the species. when you feel guilty you feel as if you have wronged another person. instead of just saying screw you i'm taking all your goods you have a moral obligation to not take whats not yours because it is imprinted in your genetic code and you are taught it from a young age. its nature and nurture combined.

at birth chimpanzees and human babies behave almost exactly the same.

i'm not sure about chimpanzees but many animals including ducks have something called imprinting where the first thing they see they believe to be their mother. this generally works well but its not full proof. humans and certain monkey species prefer nurturing to nourishment.

[user89489489438943]

It's called natural selection.

[RelentlessChaos]

all these emotions are for the benefit of the species. when you feel guilty you feel as if you have wronged another person. instead of just saying screw you i'm taking all your goods you have a moral obligation to not take whats not yours because it is imprinted in your genetic code and you are taught it from a young age. its nature and nurture combined.

at birth chimpanzees and human babies behave almost exactly the same.

i'm not sure about chimpanzees but many animals including ducks have something called imprinting where the first thing they see they believe to be their mother. this generally works well but its not full proof. humans and certain monkey species prefer nurturing to nourishment.

hows come when i was younger i did things i felt guilty about yet had no basis to tell me i was doing wrong or right. Most poeple would say swearing is wrong....some say it isnt. the bible tells us abot edifying words and what not, but who is to say what is edifying or not? its a debatable issue. I believe it goes down to your own personal convictions. And it is becoming one of mine. Why is that? I use to swear when i was younger when i was all alone. Tell me who that was hurting? yet i felt guilty and ashamed.

[Enso]

Brains + genetic expression.

Animals kill because they have to. It is part of the design. If they could cultivate crops, they probably would.

We are different because we were made different. You can talk till your blue in the face about how we've evloved...and that may be so...but each of our inherent designs, and purposes, are different.

Cultivated animals do feel guilt though...so animals are capable of it. My dogs know when they've done something I've told them not to do...and I catch them in the act.

[KRANE]

moral obligation to not take whats not yours because it is imprinted in your genetic code and you are taught it from a young age. its nature and nurture combined.

In fact, morality is a learned--not imprinted--characteristic of humans. It's what makes us unique and separates us from monkeys

[RelentlessChaos]

It's called natural selection.

inform me?

Im not talking about natural behavior, or how we may respond to something.

Do you think animals have all the emotions and feelings we have? depression and all this other stuff? Committ suicide? Hows come humans are so much more complex. To me there is just so much more to humans than any other thing on earth.thats why i believe we have a body, spirit, soul.

[Enso]

Do you think animals have all the emotions and feelings we have? depression and all this other stuff?

Yes

[DaCougarMech]

considering how basic emotions are indeed found in animals

and considering how our larger collection of emotions are actually mixes of basic emotions, i would say that we are only different in that respect in that we give names to specific degrees of mixes of emotions

[user89489489438943]

inform me?

Im not talking about natural behavior, or how we may respond to something.

Do you think animals have all the emotions and feelings we have? depression and all this other stuff? Committ suicide? Hows come humans are so much more complex. To me there is just so much more to humans than any other thing on earth.thats why i believe we have a body, spirit, soul.

The reason why we are smart and other animals aren't is because of natural selection. If you don't know what that is, do some research.

And yes, animals do have emotions.

For example:

Dogs swing their tails back and fourth when they feel excitement.

[KRANE]

considering how basic emotions are indeed found in animals

Those aren't emotions. What you're maintaining are emotions are anthropomorphic behavior. And it's something we human love to do.

Think about it, have you ever seen a monkey walk up and put his arm around someone to console them when they're sad? The next time you confuse emotion with a programmed animal behavior, consider who's making the comparison!

[dumac]

while we are on evolution, why is it that humans lost most of their hair?

[user89489489438943]

while we are on evolution, why is it that humans lost most of their hair?

Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't hair a ways to protect animals from the cold weather?

So I'm guessing warmer climates are the reason for the hair loss.

[QuicksandATL]

In fact, morality is a learned--not imprinted--characteristic of humans. It's what makes us unique and separates us from monkeys

Ding ding ding.

This is why morals can only be truely defined by something with ultimate authority.

Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't hair a ways to protect animals from the cold weather?

So I'm guessing warmer climates are the reason for the hair loss.

Except we still got it all over our head, almost as if it was given to us as a way to express our persona.

[Lager1]

ok......so i kinda talked about this in another thread, and another thread kinda inspired me to make this.

Hows come animals and humans are so different. Certainly we are alike in some ways, but we are so much more complex, and smarter.

-Hows come i feel guilt when i do something considered "wrong" although i know i wont get caught, nor in trouble or anything like that. Hows come i feel guilty? Sometimes its not even affecting anyone. Animals seem so much different. They kill to survive, fight for survival etc......do you think they feel guilty??? certainly not.

Anyone understanding my point? Hows come we are not the same? See, i think it IS the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our wrong doing. Sure animals learn from cause and effect, but do you think they feel sorrow, hate, and have the emotions we do? highly doubt it. And i dont agree when someone says they get thier morals and standards from "cause and effect" situations. Hows come you dont just learn to not do it. You feel guilty, shame.

You learned to feel guilty about certain things...just like my dog learned to feel guilty about peeing on the carpet or something like that.

Very simple.

[dumac]

You learned to feel guilty about certain things...just like my dog learned to feel guilty about peeing on the carpet or something like that.

Very simple.

maybe your dog is just afraid that it will receive punishment

[Lager1]

maybe your dog is just afraid that it will receive punishment

The same could be said of any human.

[user89489489438943]

Except we still got it all over our head, almost as if it was given to us as a way to express our persona.

Oh yes, and there is a reason for it.

Do you know why we have eyebrows?

[KnjazVovk]

When my dog crapped on the carpet by accident when no one was home, she'd give a very guilty look to the first person who walked in the door.

edit; Damn, realized I said the same thing as smj. It's all true though

[DaCougarMech]

Oh yes, and there is a reason for it.

Do you know why we have eyebrows?

it's to give latina girls a template to shave off and draw back on with a sharpie









wut?

[KRANE]

When my dog crapped on the carpet by accident when no one was home, she'd give a very guilty look to the first person who walked in the door.

edit; Damn, realized I said the same thing as smj. It's all true though

"Guilt" is a human interpretation which your dog is incapable of. It can however, recognize your reactions, and adjust it's behavior accordingly.

You learned to feel guilty about certain things...just like my dog learned to feel guilty about peeing on the carpet or something like that.

Very simple.

WRONG! Your doooog doesn't "feel" anything. He responds to stimuli.

Peeing on the carpet results in a negative stimuli i.e. pain? --which even the most primitive animals recognize and adapt to.

[Lager1]

WRONG! Your dog doesn't "feel" anyting. He responds to stimuli. Peeing on the carpet results in a negative reinforcement i.e. pain? --which even the most primitive animals recognize.

Of course she feels...are you dense? She responds to stimuli just as you respond to stimuli.

If you were brought up to believe that stealing was OK, and then I shouted at you everytime you stole something...you would feel a sense of guilt and your behavior would change (eventually).

Similarly, I taught my dog not to pee on the carpet. You flatter yourself, oh mighty human. Your feelings aren't more intense than hers. You're an animal just like her.

[Lager1]

"Guilt" is a human interpretation which your dog is incapable of. It can however, recognize your reactions, and adjust it's behavior accordingly

Your opinion is that dogs do not feel guilt. This is unproven.

Moreover, it goes against common sense because your behaviors would both be similar in the same situation (ie peeing on the floor).

I think humans just like to feel special and wonderful. And then you get this terrible argument that the feeling of "guilt" somehow proves the existence of god. It's laughable, I can't even believe I am having this discussion.

[KRANE]

It's laughable, I can't even believe I am having this discussion.

Neither can I. Perhaps you should continue it with our dog?

[Lager1]

Neither can I. Perhaps you should continue it with our dog?

I would if she were here.

She's certainly smarter than you.

[RelentlessChaos]

The same could be said of any human.

good point. ive thought of that very same one.....my dog actually tips the garbage cans over....lol =)

but see, i believe its a cause and effect issue. Do they feel guilt, sorrow, the need to apologize?




and as someone else said "excitement" i think thats a bit different. They get "excited" when you say "treat," or whatever, because they know theyre about to get something that tastes good to them. Do they feel depression, or contemplate suicide etc...
to me, it seems like all animals are closely related, but humans are totally different. But again, i know theres many things to argue were the same. Looking at it from a broad perspective, i think were totally different

[Lager1]

good point. ive thought of that very same one.....my dog actually tips the garbage cans over....lol =)

but see, i believe its a cause and effect issue. Do they feel guilt, sorrow, the need to apologize?




and as someone else said "excitement" i think thats a bit different. They get "excited" when you say "treat," or whatever, because they know theyre about to get something that tastes good to them. Do they feel depression, or contemplate suicide etc...
to me, it seems like all animals are closely related, but humans are totally different. But again, i know theres many things to argue were the same. Looking at it from a broad perspective, i think were totally different

Yes, we are able to introspect and be aware of our emotions...dogs are probably unable to do this.

[stealth_swimmer]

You learned to feel guilty about certain things...just like my dog learned to feel guilty about peeing on the carpet or something like that.

Very simple.

it probably just knows that it's gonna be reprimanded

maybe your dog is just afraid that it will receive punishment

x2

The same could be said of any human.

that's true as well, but some people really do feel bad about certain things.


It would be hard for us to tell how an animal is feeling...cus we can't talk to them,lol...well we could but they wouldn't talk back. Or if they do, then we can't understand them, lol.

[J-Bol]

good point. ive thought of that very same one.....my dog actually tips the garbage cans over....lol =)

but see, i believe its a cause and effect issue. Do they feel guilt, sorrow, the need to apologize?




and as someone else said "excitement" i think thats a bit different. They get "excited" when you say "treat," or whatever, because they know theyre about to get something that tastes good to them. Do they feel depression, or contemplate suicide etc...
to me, it seems like all animals are closely related, but humans are totally different. But again, i know theres many things to argue were the same. Looking at it from a broad perspective, i think were totally different

No.

[Lager1]

it probably just knows that it's gonna be reprimanded


x2


that's true as well, but some people really do feel bad about certain things.


It would be hard for us to tell how an animal is feeling...cus we can't talk to them,lol...well we could but they wouldn't talk back. Or if they do, then we can't understand them, lol.

Yes, like I said it is a learned behavior just like how you feel guilty about certain things. No difference.