Some of us, for better or worse, develop very stable, consistent, and largely predictable machineries of self. But in others, the self machinery is more flexible and more open to unexpected turns. Antonio Damasio badlyconsistentdevelop Change image and share on social
We do not merely perceive objects and hold thoughts in our minds: all our perceptions and thought processes are felt. All have a distinctive component that announces an unequivocal link between images and the existence of life in our organism. Antonio Damasio announcecomponentdistinctive share on social
Writing long hand is the last refuge. One needs the time it takes to put pencil to paper and let it run along the ruled line. Antonio Damasio handlinelong Change image and share on social
Imagine, for example, birds. When they look out at the world, they have a sense that they are alive. If they are in pain, they can do something about it. If they have hunger or thirst, they can satisfy that. It's this basic feeling that there is life ticking away inside of you. Antonio Damasio alivebasicbird share on social
When you deal with something like compassion for physical pain, which we know is very, very old in evolution - we can find evidence for it in nonhuman species - the brain processes it at a faster speed. Compassion for mental pain took many seconds longer. Antonio Damasio braincompassiondeal share on social
I continue to be fascinated by the fact that feelings are not just the shady side of reason but that they help us to reach decisions as well. Antonio Damasio continuedecisionfact Change image and share on social
The problem that we, as living organisms, face - and not we only, humans, but any living organism faces - is the management of life. Antonio Damasio facehumanlife Change image and share on social
Having a self, even a simple self, allows you to look into the world and put a mark over what is more important and less important. It's a way of classifying the world in terms of your own needs. Antonio Damasio classifyimportantmark Change image and share on social
When you experience the emotion of sadness, there will be changes in facial expression, and your body will be closed in, withdrawn. There are also changes in your heart, your guts: they slow down. And there are hormonal changes. Antonio Damasio bodycloseemotion share on social
I got interested in the emotions after studying patients who had lost the ability to emote and feel under certain circumstances. Many of those patients also had major impairments in their ability to make decisions. Antonio Damasio abilitycircumstancedecision share on social
