From: Natasha Vita-More (natasha@natasha.cc)
Date: Sun Apr 30 2000 - 16:13:29 MDT
At 05:23 AM 4/28/00 -0700, Robert wrote:
>> By extrapolation, superhuman intelligence begets superhuman emotion.
>
>Spike, I have to disagree with this. Intelligence and emotion
>are two entirely different realms. I would say that the more
>intelligent you are, the more capable you may be of managing
>or balancing "conflicting" emotions. For example, emotions may
>be very short-term reward based. It takes intelligence to translate
>that into a long term risk-benefit tradeoff analysis.
Intelligence and emotions are not two entirely different realms. All too
often people tend to categorize emotions in a negative light considering
the downside of emotions that are obstreperous! Who the heck spread this
dirty meme? "Psst ... he's emotional, tis tis, what a pity."
One day we will be honored to be called emotional or to be congratulated
that our emotions are so sharp, so aware, so alive, so Aristoi. (This is
directly from my talk at Extro 4.)
Accessing situations and pursues life wide-eyed is a clear indication that
there is an emotion-based cooperation in correlation with the mechanics of
intelligence in processing data. Emotions do more work than function as a
group of interconnected deep brain structures and involved in olfaction,
emotion, motivation, behavior, and various autonomic functions.
Today, we are able to use our refine these emotions to enhance our mental
capabilities in accessing situations, people and potential outcomes for our
own self-protection and communication savvy. But, more importantly the
emotions of passion and joy, desire and excitement.
My view of intelligence is more than 50% based on a person's emotional
intelligence, and less on his or her ability to copycat the ideas,
writings, knowledge or others that is more a process of a photographic
memory than an actual mental simulation of data and new way to look at the
data with a creative and visionary ability.
Some emotions may be sort-term beneficial, but not always. An orgasm has a
short turn emotional benefit, but a persistent sense of curiosity and
excitement about life is probably more beneficial to the lifespan of an
individual.
I agree with you, of course, that more intelligent one is, the more he or
she can manage negative emotions. I hasten to add that the more emotional
a person is (beneficial emotions -sense awareness for example, or the
ability to express oneself freely), the more he or she can develop and use
intelligence.
I think that it is important to consider the different types of emotions
and to identify the emotions that are personally damaging - unnecessary
anger, overreacting to problems, a tendency to causes disarray to oneself
and to others; AND the emotions that are essential to our intelligence and
our enjoyment of life - being aware of oneself and one's environment,
ability to voice one's views, conscientiousness about other peoples
feelings (sympathy), full use of one's senses, and the most important, the
emotional intelligence to perceive the importance of a learning from
mistakes but having the knowledge (wisdom, as suggested by Nadia) of
knowing when to turn down the barometer of emotions and when to turn it up.
Natasha Vita-More
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