[lit-ideas] Re: "many of the usual marks of emotion were present in their beh...
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 22:53:05 -0400 (EDT)
In a message dated 3/10/2014 5:31:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx writes:
In Russell's Analysis of Mind, Chapter XIV, we encounter this passage:
Sherrington, by experiments on dogs, showed that many of the usual marks
of emotion were present in their behaviour even when, by severing the spinal
cord in the lower cervical region, the viscera were cut off from all
communication with the brain, except that existing through certain cranial
nerves. He mentions the various signs which "contributed to indicate the
existence of an emotion as lively as the animal had ever shown us before the
spinal operation had been made."* He infers that the physiological condition
of
the viscera cannot be the cause of the emotion displayed under such
circumstances, and concludes: "We are forced back toward the likelihood that
the
visceral expression of emotion is SECONDARY to the cerebral action occurring
with the psychical state.... We may with James accept visceral and organic
sensations and the memories and associations of them as contributory to
primitive emotion, but we must regard them as re-enforcing rather than as
initiating the psychosis."*
*I am more into cats than into dogs, but I wonder what were 'the usual
marks of emotion' ? Did the dog still appear to love his benevolent master ?
Would Russell and Sherrignton still exhibit 'many of the usual marks of
emotion' in similar circumstances ?
---
I believe Russell should have quote from Darwin,
"The expression of emotion in man and animal"
The title has a curious implicature: that man is not an animal, but still.
It has nice illustrations.
So I think it's EXPRESSION of emotion we need, not 'mark' of it.
Mitchell Green has discussed this with regard to Grice as man/animal.
Green's concern is Grice's frown (on occasion). If designed, it means x, if
undesigned, it means y.
And so on.
Cheers,
Speranza
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