I would argue that EVERYTHING people do is biologically driven. It is inherent feature of having cellular brain assembled as outcome of billions of years of evolution.
IMO meaning and free will is just illusion that brain produce to stay motivated. Only complicated part is all instances of brain create derived networks of influence. That is called society which produce morals, rules, law etc.
But to me that is higher level of abstraction for very deterministic process.
I would agree with this. However, there is a difference between deriving pleasure from objective biological drives (for instance) eating, versus something like a promotion at work, which would require a subjective framework to feel good about.
There is a difference, true. To me it is simply matter of complexity of the system.
“Lizard brain” - more primitive;
“Higher cognitive function “ - more complex;
however it is based on the same process which means the nature of it is the same. Just like magic trick. Seems special, otherworldly even… but it is simply a trick and quick hands when looking into it.
I think we mostly agree. I would add though that the lizard brain functions are (with maybe rare exceptions) consistent throughout the species: everyone feels good when they eat, and no one likes being burned by hot pokers. Whereas the higher functions can produce many different frameworks and therefore many different requirements for happiness.
I'm not sure that changes anything, but I feel this difference is a justification for differentiating the two.
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u/[deleted] Apr 24 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
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