I guess I would say, any given desire has some range of how strong it can be in different situations, and if you tell me that the very strongest possible air-hunger-related desire is stronger than the very strongest possible social-instinct-related desire, I would say “OK sure, that’s plausible.” But it doesn’t seem particularly relevant to me. The relevant thing to me is how strong the desires are at the particular time that you’re making a decision or thinking a thought.
I think that almost captures what I was thinking, only that I expect the average intensity within these ranges to differ, e.g. for some individuals the desire for social interaction is usually very strong or for others rather weak (which I expect you to agree with). And this should explain which desires more often supply the default plan and for which additional “secondary” desires the neocortex has to work for to find an overall better compromise.
For example, you come home and your body feels tired and the desire that is strongest at this moment is the desire for rest, and the plan that suits this desire most is lying in bed and watching TV. But then another desire for feeling productive pushes for more plan suggestions and the neocortex comes up with lying on the coach and reading a book. And then the desire for being social pushes a bit and the revised plan is for reading the book your mum got you as a present.
Hmm, when I think “default plan”, I think something like “what’s the first thing I think to do, based on what’s most salient in my mind right now?”. So this can be related to the acetylcholine dynamic I mentioned here, where things like itches and annoying car alarms are salient in my mind even if I don’t want them to be. Hunger is definitely capable of forcibly pulling attention. But I do also think you can get a similar dynamic from social instincts. Like if someone shouts your name “Hey MaxRa!!”, your “default plan” is to immediately pay attention to that person. Or a more pleasant example is: if you’re snuggling under the blanket with your significant other, then the associated pleasant feelings are very salient in your mind, and the “default plan” is to remain under the blanket.
That acetylcholine dynamic is just one example; there can be other reasons for things to be more or less salient. Like, maybe I’m thinking: “I could go to the party…”, but then I immediately think: “…my ex might be at the party and oh geez I don’t want to see them and have to talk to them”. That’s an example where there are social instincts on both sides of the dilemma, but still, the downsides of going to the party (seeing my ex) pop right out immediately to the forefront of my mind when I think of the party, whereas the benefits of going to the party (I’ll be really glad I did etc.) are strong but less salient. So the latter can spawn very powerful desires if I’m actively thinking of them, but they’re comparatively easy to overlook.
Thanks for elaborating!
I think that almost captures what I was thinking, only that I expect the average intensity within these ranges to differ, e.g. for some individuals the desire for social interaction is usually very strong or for others rather weak (which I expect you to agree with). And this should explain which desires more often supply the default plan and for which additional “secondary” desires the neocortex has to work for to find an overall better compromise.
For example, you come home and your body feels tired and the desire that is strongest at this moment is the desire for rest, and the plan that suits this desire most is lying in bed and watching TV. But then another desire for feeling productive pushes for more plan suggestions and the neocortex comes up with lying on the coach and reading a book. And then the desire for being social pushes a bit and the revised plan is for reading the book your mum got you as a present.
Hmm, when I think “default plan”, I think something like “what’s the first thing I think to do, based on what’s most salient in my mind right now?”. So this can be related to the acetylcholine dynamic I mentioned here, where things like itches and annoying car alarms are salient in my mind even if I don’t want them to be. Hunger is definitely capable of forcibly pulling attention. But I do also think you can get a similar dynamic from social instincts. Like if someone shouts your name “Hey MaxRa!!”, your “default plan” is to immediately pay attention to that person. Or a more pleasant example is: if you’re snuggling under the blanket with your significant other, then the associated pleasant feelings are very salient in your mind, and the “default plan” is to remain under the blanket.
That acetylcholine dynamic is just one example; there can be other reasons for things to be more or less salient. Like, maybe I’m thinking: “I could go to the party…”, but then I immediately think: “…my ex might be at the party and oh geez I don’t want to see them and have to talk to them”. That’s an example where there are social instincts on both sides of the dilemma, but still, the downsides of going to the party (seeing my ex) pop right out immediately to the forefront of my mind when I think of the party, whereas the benefits of going to the party (I’ll be really glad I did etc.) are strong but less salient. So the latter can spawn very powerful desires if I’m actively thinking of them, but they’re comparatively easy to overlook.