Kevin Aylward B.Sc.
Overview
It has been shown that by using simple axioms, already accepted in existing evolutionary theory, and by making suitable reasonable scientific definitions of emotions and morals, the basic futures of the human system have been identified, and basic behavior explained, irrespective of the detailed physical mechanisms involved.
That is:
The environment instructs meme moral traits. These meme moral traits instruct gene emotion traits. Emotions instruct physical behavior. Physical behavior instructs and interacts with the environment.
It is suggested that the identification of the inherent interaction of morals and emotions, and why they originally evolved, might resolve some philosophical issues, but than again, it may not:-)
Further Work
Since operational mathematical definitions of morals and emotions have now been made, it is anticipated that it may be easier to formulate better mathematical models of human behavior.
Artificial Intelligence AI and Robotics
The basic theory presented here might also well be expanded into other areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic control.
Since emotions and morals have been mathematically defined, one can use these definitions to construct software that mimics the basic features of these emotions, such that a robot can better adapt to its environment. That is emotional-moral interaction appears to be a particular good method of dealing with the environment, so it might prove just as useful for a robot. That is, a robot needs to be programmed with general techniques for its own survival, these techniques can be based on the human concepts of "happiness", "sadness" "anger" etc, although it is not suggested that is is in a way that directly translates to real conscious experience for such robots. Only that it has features that achieve the same function that those emotions achieve.
Other areas
The basic theory presented here might also well be expanded into other areas such as and understanding of psychological disorders, such as compulsive disorders, such as kleptomania or compulsive washing hands disorders. The existence of self referral moral-emotion traits certainly suggest that repeated, completely pointless, actions might be undertaken by an individual. Whether this might be due to such a gene-meme feedback loop or a real physical brain impairment, would obviously be subject to a particular situation.
The self referral aspects of morals and emotions may explain many aspects of behavior that would otherwise appear contradictor or unexplainable from a purely biological approach. It allows for anything, for example, parents adopting children.
(work in progress)
These papers may be freely copied only for non commercial use,
provided full credit is given to the author.
© Kevin Aylward 2003 - all rights reserved