Atheists, disappointing pragmatism Part 2...?

Question

Why is it that some people feel "deflated" by knowing the biochemistry of love? What's the before and after difference? Is it the missing mystery, or is it maybe the missing, mysterious thankfulness...gratitude for being able to have the good feeling? Once we know it's a "machine", and we have our hands around it, there's no one to thank... Thoughts?

Answer 1

To me, "knowledge is bliss, ignorance is hell".

If I didn't know the biochemistry of an orgasm, I wouldn't feel as good.

Answer 2

The problem with your question is in the underlying assumption, which is that material explanations are adequate to explain brain functions.

While they may be, the human brain is many orders of magnitude more complicated than ANY known object in the material universe. Despite all of our research into the brain, we know THAT things occur (in some cases). This is a very far cry from knowing WHY things occur in the brain. We have very few clues as to cause and effect relationships in the brain.

Take antidpressants for example (OK, only take them if prescribed :P ) we have medications that are reportes to "work" on the serotonin systems, norepinephrine systems, and dopamine systems. They all have identical response rates, roughly equivalent to the response rates to antihypertensive medications (which the caridovascular system is a relatively simple system compared to the brain, and yet the most common "type" of hypertension is "essential hypertension" which means.... "gee your blood pressure has been up on three separate readings over time...").

With antidepressant medications, the change in the cellular action is more or less instantaneous, but the improvement in mood would follow 2-6 weeks later. What this tells us is that we know THAT they work, but not HOW the work.

It is a huge mistake to oversimplify (I know that this is trendy in our culture) something like the brain. I know that we like to pat ourselves on the back at our level of knowledge... So did the builders of the Titanic, the Space Shuttles and the World Trade Centers... Do not assume more than we actually know.

Answer 3

I dont know why - it doesnt deflate me. I suppose the difference would be that once the magic is taken out of it, it is no longer appealing to some...remember how when your grandpa used to make a quarter appear from behind your ears? When you learned it was nothing more than a trick, it kinda lost its effect on you, didnt it? I suppose some people feel that way about love...

Answer 4

For some knowint how things actually work, that there is a chemical reaction that males us act the way we do, is deflating.

Those are the types that like to keep all things a mystery, they don't want answer, beacuse if they have them they know they might be held accountable for their actions.

Me, I like knowing, it explains many things

Answer 5

I suppose it may be the missing "mystery" of the thing, but I've never experienced that particular problem (of deflation, I mean).

Answer 6

I've never understood that either.

Knowing how the trick works doesn't make the trick any less spectacular. In fact, I often find I appreciate a trick more when I understand how it's done (if it's a particularly clever method... pure concealment bores me).

Answer 7

Supposing you do know it's nothing more than chemistry, so what? Live for the moment and don't ask why- life is only a charade anyway so have fun while you're here.

Answer 8

I hate love. Of course, right now I'm a little lonely and depressed. So, I guess I'm not the right person to be answering this question right now.

Answer 9

Who cares just enjoy it Its all about procreation might as well get busy