Do you think it's possible for humans to becomes robots?

[Jadzia]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

There is a risk there. You can reason something all you want, but reason is nowhere motive; you have to choose to act. Likewise, you have to choose to reason.

Emotions are strongly involved with our choices, lest you be a zombie, that has no control over your thoughts and actions.

Would a less emotional person then be less sentient than someone who was histrionic?

Would an emotionless person even choose to ask that question, or any question?

 

[FordSVT]

There is a risk there. You can reason something all you want, but reason is nowhere motive; you have to choose to act. Likewise, you have to choose to reason.

Emotions are strongly involved with our choices, lest you be a zombie, that has no control over your thoughts and actions.

Would a less emotional person then be less sentient than someone who was histrionic?

Would an emotionless person even choose to ask that question, or any question?

From truly "emotionless" into the realm of reality, there are people with brain damage who really do have severe emotional limitations to the point that they don't have certain emotions at all. And you know what? They are.... off. Not at all right in the head. They have few motivations, or the motivations they do have are peculiar. They can act psychotic. I wouldn't go so far as to say they aren't human or conscious, but they are certainly not better off.

Titor there just sounds like he's getting out some of his EMO angst.

 

[john titor]

Would a less emotional person then be less sentient than someone who was histrionic?

Would an emotionless person even choose to ask that question, or any question?

From truly "emotionless" into the realm of reality, there are people with brain damage who really do have severe emotional limitations to the point that they don't have certain emotions at all. And you know what? They are.... off. Not at all right in the head. They have few motivations, or the motivations they do have are peculiar. They can act psychotic. I wouldn't go so far as to say they aren't human or conscious, but they are certainly not better off.

Titor there just sounds like he's getting out some of his EMO angst.

There should be a godwins law variant for emo remarks.

Are these people without emotions or are they sociopaths? I saw something similar in a documentary about different types of brain damage and this guy basically lost all his empathy due to minor brain damage from a car accident. He couldn't act properly among people, as in he would make rude obnoxious remarks, he didn't give a damn seemingly about his wife or children.

Think of it this way there are different types of personalities, some people are going to be more emotional than others, but they are all sentient. For example a relatively emotionless scientist is as sentient as an emotional charity type person. I just think emotions may not be the basis for sentience although they may be a part of human sentience. Datas programming allows for the absence of emotions and socially acceptable behaviour. He is sentient but in a different way to what has evolved in humans but due to the checks and balances incorporated into his neural net he is self aware. I wouldn't mind being data.

 

[Jadzia]

Think of it this way there are different types of personalities, some people are going to be more emotional than others, but they are all sentient. For example a relatively emotionless scientist is as sentient as an emotional charity type person. I just think emotions may not be the basis for sentience although they may be a part of human sentience. Datas programming allows for the absence of emotions and socially acceptable behaviour. He is sentient but in a different way to what has evolved in humans but due to the checks and balances incorporated into his neural net he is self aware. I wouldn't mind being data.

I think the difference between rational and histrionic people, is largely (but not exclusively) extroversion. Scientists might also tend to internalise their emotions. Histrionic people might have more bipolar tendencies. Emotions in the scientist are self directed rather than socially directed. For histrionic people the opposite is true. Emotions are probably just as strongly in both. They are both still motivated by emotion. The scientist chooses to focus on reason. Doing so comforts them. They study science because they are curious about the world around them. They have scientific goals that they want to realise. It's all emotionally guided. Take the emotion away and there is no longer the means to make choices. The mind falls into perpetual state of inaction. It has no desire to do anything.

Without emotion john, why choose life at all? How do you rationalize it?

 

[john titor]

Think of it this way there are different types of personalities, some people are going to be more emotional than others, but they are all sentient. For example a relatively emotionless scientist is as sentient as an emotional charity type person. I just think emotions may not be the basis for sentience although they may be a part of human sentience. Datas programming allows for the absence of emotions and socially acceptable behaviour. He is sentient but in a different way to what has evolved in humans but due to the checks and balances incorporated into his neural net he is self aware. I wouldn't mind being data.

I think the difference between rational and histrionic people, is largely (but not exclusively) extroversion. Scientists might also tend to internalise their emotions. Histrionic people might have more bipolar tendencies. Emotions in the scientist are self directed rather than socially directed. For histrionic people the opposite is true. Emotions are probably just as strongly in both. They are both still motivated by emotion. The scientist chooses to focus on reason. Doing so comforts them. They study science because they are curious about the world around them. They have scientific goals that they want to realise. It's all emotionally guided. Take the emotion away and there is no longer the means to make choices. The mind falls into perpetual state of inaction. It has no desire to do anything.

Without emotion john, why choose life at all? How do you rationalize it?

I agree to an extent. Would you say that when a person is more emotional do they experience an increase in sentience?

 

[Jadzia]

I agree to an extent. Would you say that when a person is more emotional do they experience an increase in sentience?

Sentience is defined as an ability to perceive or feel things. That's either true of a lifeform or it isn't.

You could soften the definition slightly by incorporating in the intensity of those feelings. That would be the most natural way of having a sliding scale of sentience.

So to answer your question: yes. But what does that mean though?

What is an intense feeling? One that strongly stimulates choice?
What is an unintense feeling? One that barely stimulates choice at all?

 

[john titor]

I agree to an extent. Would you say that when a person is more emotional do they experience an increase in sentience?

Sentience is defined as an ability to perceive or feel things. That's either true of a lifeform or it isn't.

You could soften the definition slightly by incorporating in the intensity of those feelings. That would be the most natural way of having a sliding scale of sentience.

So to answer your question: yes. But what does that mean though?

What is an intense feeling? One that strongly stimulates choice?
What is an unintense feeling? One that barely stimulates choice at all?

I'd qualify that as human sentience. I don't agree that emotions incur an increase in sentience, someone who is really happy or sad isn't necessarily any more or less sentient than someone in an emotional neutral state. They're just in a different state of perception. While someone might choose to study an area of interest, it may just be preference rather than an intense emotional need to pursue it.

 

[Corwwyn]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

Ah yes, nothing quite like an extremely long and un-enjoyable life.

Exactly. With no emotion there can be no enjoyment.

BTW Corwwyn, I dig your Necron 99/Peace avatar from Wizards.

Thanks chardman

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Well, if people had no emotions they wouldn't have a conscience. Emotions are play an important role in conscience