Post by sjangwal on Nov 4, 2017 0:19:34 GMT
Explain what you think Damasio means when he writes, "feelings are based on composite representations of the state of life in the process of being adjusted for survival in a state of optimal operations. The representations range from the myriad components of an organism to the level of the whole organism" (p 130). How do the concepts of homeostasis and conatus relate to the ideas in this quotation?
I think Damasio is stating that our feelings are reflective or dependant on the combined effects of our innate body regulation function (homeostasis) and our natural tendency to preserve ourselves (conatus). Feelings can be a result of the "myriad components of an organism" referring to many different individual functions like metabolism regulation, immune function, or basic reflexes (to name a few) to the "level of the whole organism" referring to the overall well-being of a person. Each of these functions is in place to promote survival and optimal health.
Damasio states the homeostasis to be "the ensemble of regulations and the resulting state of regulated life" (p30)
and conatus: "striving, endeavour, and tendency are three words that come close to rendering the Latin term conatus" (p36)
Spinoza refers to conatus as "The striving by which each thing strives to persevere in its being is nothing but the actual essence of the thing." (p36)
I think Damasio is stating that our feelings are reflective or dependant on the combined effects of our innate body regulation function (homeostasis) and our natural tendency to preserve ourselves (conatus). Feelings can be a result of the "myriad components of an organism" referring to many different individual functions like metabolism regulation, immune function, or basic reflexes (to name a few) to the "level of the whole organism" referring to the overall well-being of a person. Each of these functions is in place to promote survival and optimal health.
Damasio states the homeostasis to be "the ensemble of regulations and the resulting state of regulated life" (p30)
and conatus: "striving, endeavour, and tendency are three words that come close to rendering the Latin term conatus" (p36)
Spinoza refers to conatus as "The striving by which each thing strives to persevere in its being is nothing but the actual essence of the thing." (p36)
