It is a common misunderstanding to categorize emotions as either entirely natural (innate) or entirely mechanical (learned). Instead, emotions are a complex interplay of both biological, natural processes and cognitive, socially-constructed components.
Here is an overview of how emotions are both natural and constructed. Emotions are natural (innate) Some aspects of emotion are believed to be hardwired, shaped by evolution to help humans survive and function. Survival mechanisms: In the 19th century, Charles Darwin argued that emotions evolved because they were adaptive. For example, fear is an instinctual response that prepares the body for a "fight or flight" response in the face of danger. Universal basic emotions: Research by psychologist Paul Ekman found that certain "basic" emotions—such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust—are recognized through universal facial expressions across different cultures. This suggests that at least some emotional reactions are biologically innate rather than culturally learned. Neurobiological responses: Emotions are tied to specific brain activity, particularly in the amygdala, which processes threats and rewards, and the limbic system, a network involved in emotion, motivation, and memory. The body also releases hormones and neurotransmitters like dopamine and cortisol that are linked to specific emotions. Emotions are mechanical (constructed) Other theories contend that emotions are not pre-programmed responses but are constructed by the brain in the moment based on a person's experience and interpretation. This perspective views emotions as learned concepts rather than innate reactions. Cognitive appraisal: In this view, emotions are not simple, automatic reactions. Instead, a person first experiences a physiological arousal, then performs a cognitive appraisal to find a reason for that arousal. The resulting emotion depends on how the situation is interpreted. For instance, a racing heart could be interpreted as fear if a threat is present or as excitement if a person is on a rollercoaster. Social and cultural influence: Emotions are not immune to social and cultural shaping. The intensity, expression, and even the existence of certain complex emotions can be influenced by cultural norms and a person's upbringing. For example, some emotions recognized in other cultures, like the Japanese "amae" (a feeling of indulgent dependence), have no direct parallel in Western culture. Learned emotional intelligence: While basic emotional responses may be innate, the ability to understand, regulate, and express one's emotions (emotional intelligence) is a learned skill that develops over a lifetime. How we learn to navigate emotions is heavily influenced by our environment and past experiences. A synthesis: The nature versus nurture debate The question of whether emotions are natural or mechanical reflects the larger "nature versus nurture" debate. Most contemporary researchers agree that it is not an either-or scenario. Instead, it is a complex interplay between a natural biological capacity for emotion and a learned cognitive interpretation. Psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett's theory of "constructed emotion" proposes that your brain constantly creates internal models based on experience to predict future needs and interpret bodily sensations. According to this view, emotions are not pre-wired but are constructed instances of feeling that are socially and experientially determined. K Rajaram IRS 231025 On Thu, 23 Oct 2025 at 05:56, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < [email protected]> wrote: > > > -- > *Mar*The Web of Emotions > > > > Every life form is an emotional complement of every other life form. The > smells of nature, the sounds or musics of nature, the air touches of > nature, which our skins breathe in, the tastes and the sights, all function > as the language of the Biosphere as a whole creating the macro flow of > emotions, the flow of meanings. The meanings create feelings, which become > hormonal communications in our bloodstream, which reach the cells via the > capillaries. There is no life form in the Biosphere that does not respond > positively to positive emotions. > > Ultimately; it is the positive emotions that create meanings, purposes and > missions of life. > > The feelings are exhaled as smell and sound messages into the air, which > the other organisms hear and inhale, creating the cascades of symbiotic > responses. Unfortunately sciences are struck up in the mechanical paradigm, > and the superstition of not allowing consciousness and emotions into the > webs of technologies, created by the economic motivations, has created the > basic adversarial relation between the human and the rest of the Biosphere. > > Economics kills Ecology. Ecology means mainly the web of emotions that > creates the ecological relations among the life forms. Life gets meaning > only from emotions and Ecology creates the emotions. Economics today > creates only pollutions and poisons against nature. > > Actually Physics must not stop with Mechanics. The foundation behind > Thermodynamics is Emotion Dynamics. The Biosphere on the surface of the > earth is existing because of the particular Thermodynamic situation on the > surface. Every place in the Universe has a Thermodynamic situation and we > cannot know the life forms or forms of consciousness, which exist, say from > the extremely hot to the near absolute zero situations. But every life form > is a form of emotions. > > We may be able to contact every life form via emotions and not via > mechanics. Investigation into the emotion based concept and paradigm bases > of understanding in diverse Thermodynamic situations is a gigantic and vast > field which modern sciences refuge to acknowledge. Actually the very > subject consciousness is kept outside the scopes of all sciences as it > disturbs the feelings-less mechanical approach. > > We have to first accept that electromagnetism has an emotional and > consciousness dimension. Then if there is electromagnetism everywhere in > the Universe, then there will be consciousness also along with > electromagnetism. > > Emotions create real meanings. Mechanics create only feelings-less and > meanings-less engineerings Sage deals with Feelings. A Scientist deals with > Mechanics. Feelings create emotional bonds, concern for the Biosphere and > the Environment. Every machine harms some life form. For a scientist > emotions mean bias which must be shunned. To a Sage emotion is truth, and > the Biosphere is sacred and the Universe is a web of Emotions, not merely > machines. > > Today Economics has reached the dead end because there are no Jobs as > there are machines for everything. But a Sage has billions of Jobs, as > nature has to be cured from the deathbed created by the pollutions and > destructions and as only feelings and emotions give meaning to life. > > Every University must change its basic paradigm. It must change into > emotion based Ecology and end its slavish bondage to feelings-less > mechanics. > > As the first step every University must start a ‘Free Nature Park’ without > human tampering. > > YM Sarma > > Chat gpt > > That’s a fascinating and deeply poetic essay — *“The Web of Emotions” by > YM Sarma* — and it offers a strong philosophical and ecological critique > of modern science and economics. > > Here’s a concise summary and interpretation of its main ideas: > ------------------------------ > > *🌍 Core Thesis* > > Life and consciousness are not mechanical processes but *emotional and > meaningful phenomena*. Every living form is connected to every other > through a *“web of emotions”*, forming an emotional ecology that sustains > the Biosphere. > ------------------------------ > > *💫 Key Concepts* > > 1. *Emotion as the Foundation of Life* > - Emotions are not secondary human experiences but *the fundamental > energy* of all living systems. > - The “language of the Biosphere” — smells, sounds, touch, light — > creates *flows of emotions and meanings* that connect species. > 2. *Science’s Limitation* > - Modern science, rooted in a *mechanistic paradigm*, ignores > emotion and consciousness. > - By treating nature as a machine, science (and by extension, > technology and economics) has created an *adversarial relationship* > between humanity and the rest of life. > 3. *Economics vs. Ecology* > - “Economics kills Ecology”: modern economics is built on > exploitation and mechanical productivity, not emotional or ecological > harmony. > - True ecology, in contrast, is *the web of emotional > interrelations* that gives life meaning and sustains the planet. > 4. *Emotion Dynamics as Physics* > - Just as thermodynamics explains physical energy, *“Emotion > Dynamics”* could explain the flow of consciousness and meaning in > the universe. > - Since electromagnetism pervades everything, and if > electromagnetism carries emotional and conscious qualities, > *consciousness > exists everywhere*. > 5. *Sage vs. Scientist* > - The *scientist* seeks objectivity and avoids emotion (considering > it bias). > - The *sage* embraces emotion as truth — seeing the Biosphere as > sacred and interconnected. > 6. *A Call for Paradigm Shift* > - Universities should abandon purely mechanical thinking and adopt > *emotion-based > ecology* as a new foundation for knowledge. > - Establishing *“Free Nature Parks”* without human interference > would be a first step toward restoring the planet’s emotional and > ecological balance. > > ------------------------------ > > *🧠 Interpretive Reflection* > > Sarma’s essay blends *ecophilosophy, spiritual ecology, and systems > thinking*. It echoes thinkers like *James Lovelock (Gaia hypothesis)*, > *Fritjof > Capra (The Web of Life)*, and *Rudolf Steiner*, but goes further in > claiming that *emotion itself is the universal connective tissue* — not > just energy or information. > > It’s both a *critique* (of industrial, emotionless modernity) and a > *manifesto* (for re-sacralizing life through emotional awareness and > ecological empathy). > ------------------------------ > > Would you like me to analyze it from a *scientific*, *philosophical*, or > *spiritual* perspective next? Each lens highlights different strengths > and challenges in Sarma’s argument. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "societyforservingseniors" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/society4servingseniors/CACDCHC%2BDA-MN1QS5wxo7hdUuU%3D75iqK%3DhqBr23kMMCzZ1K_v%3Dw%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/society4servingseniors/CACDCHC%2BDA-MN1QS5wxo7hdUuU%3D75iqK%3DhqBr23kMMCzZ1K_v%3Dw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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