I have a background in Physics (and a little Geology) so don't know a lot about Biology, so maybe someone in the know could expand on this?
Is everything we do just tailored to getting the brain to release a drug that provides enjoyment? E.g. Eating, playing sport, sex etc. However the brain would still have to process the intake of this drug to give the sense of enjoyment? Pain as far as I'm aware is purely down to the nervous system and does not involve the release of drugs?
People also get a sense of enjoyment in helping others, or just "doing the right thing", be it helping someone across the road or going to Church. Even though people talk of selfless acts of charity, surely they do these acts because they enjoy either doing them and/or the outcome and this is because the brain somehow rewards itself?
This does all have a link to morality/free will. If I do something bad I feel guilt, which ultimately must be again down to the brain. Brains have evolved to allow us to exhibit empathy and work as a society. We also get rewarded for things that:
1) Keep us alive e.g. eating
2) Keep our genes passing from generation to generation e.g. sex
3) Survive as a society e.g. empathy, charity work etc
So are we all just entities that are trying to satisfy our pre programmed (either nature or nurture) brains? This is obviously very simplistic, but is it in any way an accurate reflection of reality?
Is everything we do just tailored to getting the brain to release a drug that provides enjoyment? E.g. Eating, playing sport, sex etc. However the brain would still have to process the intake of this drug to give the sense of enjoyment? Pain as far as I'm aware is purely down to the nervous system and does not involve the release of drugs?
People also get a sense of enjoyment in helping others, or just "doing the right thing", be it helping someone across the road or going to Church. Even though people talk of selfless acts of charity, surely they do these acts because they enjoy either doing them and/or the outcome and this is because the brain somehow rewards itself?
This does all have a link to morality/free will. If I do something bad I feel guilt, which ultimately must be again down to the brain. Brains have evolved to allow us to exhibit empathy and work as a society. We also get rewarded for things that:
1) Keep us alive e.g. eating
2) Keep our genes passing from generation to generation e.g. sex
3) Survive as a society e.g. empathy, charity work etc
So are we all just entities that are trying to satisfy our pre programmed (either nature or nurture) brains? This is obviously very simplistic, but is it in any way an accurate reflection of reality?
