Seong-lae ChoAnticipation of outcome
An imperfect tool created during evolution for a more cooperative society
Emotions are a value judgment system. When the emotional center vmPFC is damaged, one becomes unable to make any judgments or decisions. Rather than feeling emotions through reason, we judge and think based on emotions, which is why when we receive information that contradicts what we know, we feel personally attacked. As a result, based on these negative emotions, regardless of logic, we create justifications and excuses with Consistency Bias to protect our identity (Introspection Illusion). Persuading someone means changing their thoughts, and since this means changing the person themselves, it's a difficult task.
Tips for Emotion Control
Anything That Makes You Happy Can Make You Sad
Don't be a slave to your emotions - don't let them become your attitude. Other people's thoughts, evaluations, and emotions are their responsibility, so it's important to leave those to them and keep your focus on yourself. If you find yourself paralyzed by emotions, try analyzing four aspects: the event, thoughts, emotions, and actions, as emotions are byproducts of actions and are difficult to control directly.
Emotions move like waves. Just as you can't prevent unhappiness, you can't prevent happiness either. Just as happiness feels more intense after sadness, unhappiness feels stronger after happiness. There's no need to deeply depend on emotions from others because whether people treat you well or attack you without reason, it's usually more about their emotions being expressed outwardly rather than their personal feelings toward you. Therefore, it's better to maintain a dismissive attitude toward others' actions rather than taking them emotionally, and looking back, you'll realize your own actions aren't entirely free from your emotions. Why not try understanding your own emotions to show kindness without reason?
Logic can be persuaded discontinuously and easily, but emotions change continuously and don't follow immediately. Even when you realize something important, emotions can remain stuck in the past. However, self-persuasion can help emotions catch up.
Emotional satisfaction can be categorized into physical satisfaction and mental satisfaction (social recognition). Pleasure is personal and temporary, while recognition is social and lasting. Between the two, pleasure shouldn't be looked down upon - they overlap and each has its role. However, what's important is the process of controlling both through reason moment by moment while determining what you need to do.
Emotion Notion
Emotions
Emotions are habits
Rather than feeling emotions to act better, it's easier to act better to feel better emotions - O. H. Mowrer
우리는 인생에서 별로 중요하지 않은 사람에게 스트레스를 받고, 삶에서 가장 소중한 사람에게 화풀이를 한다. 그저 그 사람이 항상 곁에 있다는 이유로 - 강주원
Ilya Sutskever 2025
For AI Alignment, we need AI that is robustly aligned to care for sentient beings. This is easier than aligning AI to value humans specifically. While everyone is focused on Self-Improving AI, the objective is more important. Like mirror neurons, when intelligence emotionally models other beings, it may use the same circuits to model itself, potentially giving rise to emotions, as this is similarly the efficient approach.
The human brain and emotions evolved millions of years ago, with the Brainstem (Limbic system) commanding us to mate with more successful individuals. The Cerebral cortex’s role is to understand what success means in a modern context. In other words, high-level and low-level functions are separated, with adaptation and application to reality, and unchanging elements, each playing distinct roles.
In the long-term balance between AI and humans, we'll be outnumbered and less intelligent. One solution is to become part of AI. Then, instead of being in a precarious position, understanding is transmitted entirely, so humans are fully involved in the situation. This is the answer to achieving equilibrium.
