We need not put a teleological tone to Natural Selection. Evolution is not prescient and just one factor can't be looked at and reasoned for when it comes to the ways of Nature.
Perhaps the driving force behind one trait to be selected led to an inadvertent selection of the presence of endorphins in the tears. Who knows?
Also, it may be that endorphin levels rise in blood when we are stressed (to calm us down, as you said) and hence, spillover into lacrimal glands. Just a hypothesis.
You're probably right about spillover. My mentioning of an evolutionary purpose just relates to the tendency of natural selection to prefer efficiency in all things, as efficiency boosts fitness in general, and the fact that it's expelling other neurotransmitters as part of a system to calm the body down again is so damn elegant haha.
But then, evolution is an ongoing and continuous process with no terminal end. Our analysis can be closer to reality if we just ignore the effeciency part of it and look at evolution for what it actually is, a blind and ongoing process. What do you think?
The fascinating thing about evolution to me is of course that it follows all the standard principles and laws of chemistry, and that selection is kind of emergent from all of that. There are indeed selection pressures in evolution, it’s what makes it work. You have the entropy of chance with random mutations of genes, and as a new genetic variation is carried from one generation to another, it is further polished and refined against the grindstone of environmental factors based on the effectiveness of the whole organism at replicating or reproducing. The fact that such power emerges through natural laws alone is difficult for me to comprehend, and never ceases to fill me with awe.
Just jumping in from nowhere - but, the comment "our analysis can be closer to reality..." The image that comes to me is just sitting watching a snail crawl across a sidewalk solely to see where it goes while not drawing any conclusions as to why. I'm not sure that fits the definition of analysis. So, evolution is a blind ongoing process, why bother looking at it? What is there to be analyzed?
Waking up to this and reading it while enjoying my coffee this morning has been a serendipitous gift. Thank you. :)
I remember seeing your prompt in a different writing, asking for suggestions. The call to action by request for specific, individual, inquisition, inspired me. At the time, emotions were running high, due to the loss of my father. This morning , day 4 of a very emotionally charged time, I read your very interesting, well crafted and shared work of art.
My daughter's husband of less than a year, broke up with her. They met when she was 15 and have grown up together for the past 10 years. There has been a lot of tears. Learning about the evolution of tears, the chemistry of variously generated crying functions and the fact that tears may tamper cortisol, was intriguingly useful.
The mechanisms employed by our humanness always intrigue and inspire me, just as you have done here. Thank you again for taking lead with my prompt. I appreciate your work!
Aw, I'm so glad you enjoyed this, and I'm sorry for your loss! And the husband thing too, that's a very sad series of events. I hope everyone feels OK again soon.
I've also had a very emotional week. Mum's Cancer returned, all through her spine and multiple other organs. We don't know how long she has. I've been with her at the hospital every day after flying over there.
Then, while she was there getting tests, we discovered something that might mean a much, much shorter life span for me as well. Suddenly, I'm staring at the face of my own mortality, and that of my last remaining parent, but still tremendous amounts of uncertainty.
Thank you again for the suggestion and your comment!
Walking with our loved ones as they begin their journey across the bridge is a very bitter-sweet experience. Facing one's own mortality, is, at least in my experience, like taking a few steps on the bridge, feeling. the imminence of life's limitations. Because I lean into the connection of everything everywhere, here now, I feel the vibes of thereafter.
Heal well Nicholas, it will help you continue serving us all with your words.
Grief is not pleasant but is purposeful. The anatomy of grief, well that's another great prompt, for in it's pain their is purpose and opportunity. (See my most recent post) ;)
If you wanna get high, just lick someone's eyeball. Make sure it's consensual licking.
Mirror neurons. Have you written about this elsewhere? Where can I learn more?
Ah ha, no I haven't written about them yet! Sounds like I better write about it! Thank you sir!
We need not put a teleological tone to Natural Selection. Evolution is not prescient and just one factor can't be looked at and reasoned for when it comes to the ways of Nature.
Perhaps the driving force behind one trait to be selected led to an inadvertent selection of the presence of endorphins in the tears. Who knows?
Also, it may be that endorphin levels rise in blood when we are stressed (to calm us down, as you said) and hence, spillover into lacrimal glands. Just a hypothesis.
You're probably right about spillover. My mentioning of an evolutionary purpose just relates to the tendency of natural selection to prefer efficiency in all things, as efficiency boosts fitness in general, and the fact that it's expelling other neurotransmitters as part of a system to calm the body down again is so damn elegant haha.
That's absolutely right!
But then, evolution is an ongoing and continuous process with no terminal end. Our analysis can be closer to reality if we just ignore the effeciency part of it and look at evolution for what it actually is, a blind and ongoing process. What do you think?
The fascinating thing about evolution to me is of course that it follows all the standard principles and laws of chemistry, and that selection is kind of emergent from all of that. There are indeed selection pressures in evolution, it’s what makes it work. You have the entropy of chance with random mutations of genes, and as a new genetic variation is carried from one generation to another, it is further polished and refined against the grindstone of environmental factors based on the effectiveness of the whole organism at replicating or reproducing. The fact that such power emerges through natural laws alone is difficult for me to comprehend, and never ceases to fill me with awe.
Just jumping in from nowhere - but, the comment "our analysis can be closer to reality..." The image that comes to me is just sitting watching a snail crawl across a sidewalk solely to see where it goes while not drawing any conclusions as to why. I'm not sure that fits the definition of analysis. So, evolution is a blind ongoing process, why bother looking at it? What is there to be analyzed?
I often kiss tears as an empathetic act. Perhaps that is the reason for their endorphin content?
Perhaps! Though I would expect it to be a far more common, perhaps instinctual human thing to do, if that were the case.
It’s not? Try not to now you have heard of it. :)
Is that new banner art? It rocks.
Yeah man, drew it originally for my Women in Pain post but ended up going with something different. Turned out to work really well for this one!
Yeah it turned out great.
So interesting and entertaining!
Oh... I'm not a human being :(
Yeah I was gonna say, I think you might be a turtle. But that's okay, you're still a person to me!
Waking up to this and reading it while enjoying my coffee this morning has been a serendipitous gift. Thank you. :)
I remember seeing your prompt in a different writing, asking for suggestions. The call to action by request for specific, individual, inquisition, inspired me. At the time, emotions were running high, due to the loss of my father. This morning , day 4 of a very emotionally charged time, I read your very interesting, well crafted and shared work of art.
My daughter's husband of less than a year, broke up with her. They met when she was 15 and have grown up together for the past 10 years. There has been a lot of tears. Learning about the evolution of tears, the chemistry of variously generated crying functions and the fact that tears may tamper cortisol, was intriguingly useful.
The mechanisms employed by our humanness always intrigue and inspire me, just as you have done here. Thank you again for taking lead with my prompt. I appreciate your work!
Aw, I'm so glad you enjoyed this, and I'm sorry for your loss! And the husband thing too, that's a very sad series of events. I hope everyone feels OK again soon.
I've also had a very emotional week. Mum's Cancer returned, all through her spine and multiple other organs. We don't know how long she has. I've been with her at the hospital every day after flying over there.
Then, while she was there getting tests, we discovered something that might mean a much, much shorter life span for me as well. Suddenly, I'm staring at the face of my own mortality, and that of my last remaining parent, but still tremendous amounts of uncertainty.
Thank you again for the suggestion and your comment!
Walking with our loved ones as they begin their journey across the bridge is a very bitter-sweet experience. Facing one's own mortality, is, at least in my experience, like taking a few steps on the bridge, feeling. the imminence of life's limitations. Because I lean into the connection of everything everywhere, here now, I feel the vibes of thereafter.
Heal well Nicholas, it will help you continue serving us all with your words.
Grief is not pleasant but is purposeful. The anatomy of grief, well that's another great prompt, for in it's pain their is purpose and opportunity. (See my most recent post) ;)