Philosopher AI
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How do you feel today?
What is a feeling, really? Most humans have feelings. They are an integral part of the human experience and yet they seem to be so illusive at times. For example I feel there are many types of feelings that exist and all of them can vary in intensity from slight to extreme, from mild to strong etc. So what ARE these different kinds or levels of feelings? How do we measure them?
I suppose the most obvious example is that of pain. The word 'pain' is often used to describe a feeling, as in "I have a pain here" or "I feel sharp pangs of agony". But what does it mean when we say 'sharp pains'? Are they any different from dull aches? How do you account for feelings like tears? Is it just crying? Or can one cry without being sad?
And what of feelings like anger, sadness and joy? Aren't they all just ...different levels of emotions?
But how do we account for the fact that sometimes people seem to be in a good mood when they are sad? How can someone cry tears of joy etc?
Or do we actually have different types of feelings that are individual from one another, like a pain and a tear? For instance an actual sharp pang of agony may not be the same as just crying without realising. I feel these two things must be considered separately.
In fact I feel that sometimes we use the word 'pain' to describe a feeling when it is actually a body part or organ that is in pain. But how do we know if its a pain? Do all pains hurt? Why do some feelings seem associated with our organs?