Embodied cognition

[wolfy]

I wasn't sure what to call this thread. I have a question about how people know what to do in the moment. The right thing to do.

I can feel it physically as an discomfort an urge to move to do the thing. I can push the feeling down and sometimes do out of laziness but I end up feeling worse.

I hesitated to post this because I kind of feel this is universal. But it's been on my mind and I was curious...

Do you think holistically? Would be the question I guess.

 

[Nadir]

The more you act, the better you'll be at it. Familiarity breeds intuition. I am guessing the discomfort you feel is related to the situation(s) being new to you (I don't mean brand new, completely unique, 100% original etc.). So yes, you feel a pull, because your mind tries to relate the situation to another situation you've lived through in the past and urges you to act in the way you've acted back then. But as an opposing force you feel a lot of self-doubt, because the situation itself is new to you and naturally you don't want to screw up. This isn't something bad, per se (the consequences of doing the wrong thing could be quite serious), but look, Kierkegaard quote incoming: "If I have ventured wrongly, very well, life then helps me with its penalty. But if I haven't ventured at all, who helps me then?". So even though it's discomfiting, he's probably right in saying that even if you act and screw up, you'll be better for it in the long run and it'll help you avoid the same discomfort next time.

 

[ThatsWhatHeSaid]

Are you asking if people intuitively know what the right thing to do in a given situation is?

If yes, then I usually do know. I like to think that everyone's like this, and that the right thing to do is also the moral thing to do. I don't know if that's realistic (that everyone intuitively knows) but I treat people that way.

 

[wolfy]

Are you asking if people intuitively know what the right thing to do in a given situation is?

If yes, then I usually do know. I like to think that everyone's like this, and that the right thing to do is also the moral thing to do. I don't know if that's realistic (that everyone intuitively knows) but I treat people that way.

Yeah thanks that's what I was asking and do you feel it as a physical sensation as well as in your head.

 

[wolfy]

The more you act, the better you'll be at it. Familiarity breeds intuition. I am guessing the discomfort you feel is related to the situation(s) being new to you (I don't mean brand new, completely unique, 100% original etc.). So yes, you feel a pull, because your mind tries to relate the situation to another situation you've lived through in the past and urges you to act in the way you've acted back then. But as an opposing force you feel a lot of self-doubt, because the situation itself is new to you and naturally you don't want to screw up. This isn't something bad, per se (the consequences of doing the wrong thing could be quite serious), but look, Kierkegaard quote incoming: "If I have ventured wrongly, very well, life then helps me with its penalty. But if I haven't ventured at all, who helps me then?". So even though it's discomfiting, he's probably right in saying that even if you act and screw up, you'll be better for it in the long run and it'll help you avoid the same discomfort next time.

This makes sense to me. This is really useful. I feel it in all situations.

My question was more abstract as in I was wondering if others feel this way too. I'm thinking they do but was curious.