(June 4, 2015 at 2:53 am)robvalue Wrote: I thought I remembered him saying exactly that some time ago, which is why I phrased my questions like I did. Maybe I misremembered and if so I apologise. But I agree it seems like a strong correlation at least. And indeed, we're not in control of how we are made.I have no idea, really, I'm no specialist either, I'm also just making guesses. From my personal experience though, I don't think you can teach empathy (or that it can be learned), which I think is basically what you are asking? Maybe to a 0-5 years old you can change how the neurons work thre, but I don't think so in a fully grown adult. But again, I don't know....??
I wonder though, even for someone with no empathy (not saying this is the case for wallym), if they make rational decisions to help people even though they personally get no feedback from their brain which acts as a reward... would the system adapt so eventually they could feel good about it? I may be totally off there, this is not my specialist subject, I'm just swinging in the dark with a blindfold on with my eyes poked out.
If someone who lacks empathy makes a rational decision to help someone, they do so with another reward/goal in mind. It might even be just to "blend in" with us sheep.
I'm also not saying Wally is like this, or thinks of us as sheep, again, this is from my experience with someone else.
“Eternity is a terrible thought. I mean, where's it going to end?”
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
