1. Human emotion is a complex thing but, ultimately, emotions themselves are basic representations.
1[1]. An emotion, in isolation from the resultant thoughts which are produced in an individual mind, has no meaning but refers only internally to itself in a kind of dynamic temporal feedback loop.
1[1.1]. The feedback loop does not have a time to make a revolution.
It is instant because it is the conscious experience of the emotion, which is necessarily, immediate because it occupys the totality of the being's awareness.
1[1.5]. The emotional feedback loop affects cognitive processes and cognitive processes affect emotion.
If I am happy but then I see something that is, to me, sad, this observation will cause my emotion to veer towards sadness.
If I immediately think, "It's only a movie", then my emotional state may recover to some higher level that is not sad.
1[2]. Emotion is clear, present, and it, unlike propositions about the world, can never possibily be false.
1[2.1]. Emotion is truth.
1[3]. Emotions can be inappropriate for situations according to social norms and standards, but there is no lack of correspondence between an emotional state and reality in any possible world.
1[3.1]. In other words, emotional truth is necessary.
[2]. All cognitive decisions and processes in humans occurr within an emotional background and could not be carried out otherwise.
Emotional responses to mental representations are at the heart of all choices we make.
Without emotion, we would have no standard or way in which to proceed when deliberating about anything.
The following emotion chart is a clickable rollover image where each button will go to a page about a particular page:
How can someone make a decision about, for instance, whether to steal a pile of money that has fallen out of the back of an armored car, for instance?
If there is no happiness at the thought of spending the money or having the power that money can buy, then what reason is there to take it?
And, if there is no fear at the thought of being incarcerated in prison for having taken the money, then what reason is there not to take the money?
One would be left in a state of virtual paralysis about so many decisions without having an emotional reaction to representations, or thoughts, about this or that particular choice of action.
I have more to say about the fear and anxiety that can be brought on by absolute amnesia on my page titled "on [this]".
I have pages, some developed and others not so much, about each of the emotions in the chart above: mania, sublime, elation, hypomania, love, joy, pleasure, happiness, enjoyment, interested, contentment, boredom, moderate pain, anger, anxiety, melancholy, depression, severe pain, hatred, wrath, suicidal, unbearable pain, catatonic.
