Organisms are conceived as active organisms whose brain systems allow them to engage with the world to meet their needs.
The conventional view is that animals are passive integrators of sensory information, some which may have its salience enhanced. The notion of an animal or indeed a person as an actor is weak in social sciences which generally emphasizes processing of information, and fragments all functioning into sub-organismic aspects e.g. cognition, learning, affect.
The present focus on endeavour conflicts with the present focus on cognition and learning in neuroscience.
In the classic behaviorist view, the brain is primarily an organ for learning and everything else is secondary. In the present view, the brain is primarily an organ for endeavouring and creating meaning, and everything else is secondary.
According to Panksepp, affects or emotional experiences are the crucial guiding systems in pursuing endeavours.
The neural systems are spelled with capitals to clarify that
(a) the term is Panksepp's name to refer to a subcortical neural circuit
(b) it is not a taxonomic term
(c) it cannot be safely assigned common connotations
It is quite unknown how the primary-process emotiona neural systems work. fMRI deals with cognitive functions.
Strong feelings involve action and fMRI scans require subjects to remain immobile. Experimental conditions are not conducive to experiencing strong emotions, they cannot tell us much about the human condition. Strong emotions shut down rational thought.
PET studies appear to be more useful. Damasio et al (2000) found increased blood flow in the midbrain .
All emotional systems involve the evolutionarily ancient PAG of the midgrain, while GAG, NE ST and dopamine modulate all the systems.
Decorticate animals play abundaantly
Could there be a priomary process SELF: Simple Ego-type Life Form. A coherent centre of gravity for internal whole organism visceral affective and sensori-motor representations.
I feel therefore I am: is a property of EXPERIENCE-RL4
Distinguish the nomothetic core SELF from the experience dependent idiographic self.
FEAR & RAGE in lateral and medial temporal. SEEKING in vertromedial frontal, GRIEF in anterior cingulate.
SEEKING is basic...the biggest and most pervasive emotional system of them all.
It started in reptiles etc just by7 taking care of homoestatic needs (water, energy, heat), RAGE and FEAR to avoid bodilky destruction and compete effectively.
LUST to promotes survival.-- is more anterior.
The next phases was social: CARE, GRIEF and PLAY , built on what pre-existed.
SEEKING is rewarding, but not typical sensory plearue...rather then eagerness to pursue all kinds of rewards.
PAG as themo9st ancient andhighly concentrated centre, adjacent to the MLR mesencephaic locotmotor region and the GRA.
TOTAL damage to the PAG, all world-directedactivities stop: animals are maginally awak but not conscious in a meaningful way.
Split brain patients show coherent emotional motor and whole body intentional behaviour....the copherence of self and consciousness is therefore subcortical.
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Emotional action systems have primacy in the genesis of consciousness. (not sensory systems). Medial frontal cortex is more emotional in regard to activity.