Three Faces of Desire

Schroeder, Timothy

doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195172379.001.0001

Cited by 246 publications

(139 citation statements)

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“…The word reward has almost mystical connotations and is the subject of many philosophical treatises, from the ethics of the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham (whose embalmed body is displayed in University College London) and John Stuart Mill to the contemporary philosophy of science of Tim Schroeder (39,363,514). More commonly, the man on the street views reward as a bonus for exceptional performance, like chocolate for a child getting good school marks, or as something that makes us happy.…”

Section: A Proximal Reward Functions Are Defined By Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When I am thirsty or hungry and know that water or food helps, I desire them. Different from such specific desire, there are also desires for imagined or even impossible rewards, such as flying to Mars, in which cases desires become wishes (514). Desire requires a prediction, or at least a representation, of reward and constitutes an active process that is intentional [in being about something (529)].…”

Section: Positive Emotionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neuronal Reward and Decision Signals: From Theories to Data

Schultz

2015

Physiological Reviews

894

765

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LSchultz W. Neuronal Reward and Decision Signals: From Theories to Data. Physiol Rev 95: 853-951, 2015. Published June 24, 2015 doi:10.1152/physrev.00023.2014.-Rewards are crucial objects that induce learning, approach behavior, choices, and emotions. Whereas emotions are difficult to investigate in animals, the learning function is mediated by neuronal reward prediction error signals which implement basic constructs of reinforcement learning theory. These signals are found in dopamine neurons, which emit a global reward signal to striatum and frontal cortex, and in specific neurons in striatum, amygdala, and frontal cortex projecting to select neuronal populations. The approach and choice functions involve subjective value, which is objectively assessed by behavioral choices eliciting internal, subjective reward preferences. Utility is the formal mathematical characterization of subjective value and a prime decision variable in economic choice theory. It is coded as utility prediction error by phasic dopamine responses. Utility can incorporate various influences, including risk, delay, effort, and social interaction. Appropriate for formal decision mechanisms, rewards are coded as object value, action value, difference value, and chosen value by specific neurons. Although all reward, reinforcement, and decision variables are theoretical constructs, their neuronal signals constitute measurable physical implementations and as such confirm the validity of these concepts. The neuronal reward signals provide guidance for behavior while constraining the free will to act.

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Section: A Proximal Reward Functions Are Defined By Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Positive Emotionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuronal Reward and Decision Signals: From Theories to Data

Schultz

2015

Physiological Reviews

894

765

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“…This suggestion is actually close to the application of what Schroeder (2004) called "an interesting lemma of common sense":…”

Section: Analysis Of the Changes Of The Pleasantness Of Stimuli And Imentioning

confidence: 55%

Experimental Support of the Hedonistic Model of Desire

Ovsich

Cabanac

2012

IJPS

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This article analyzes experiments conducted by one of the authors of the article from the point of view of the hedonistic model of desire proposed by another author. We show that these independently conducted experiments and a number of the classical definitions of desire support the proposed model of desire. The model claims that terms "desire", "want", and their cognates describe changes of the Pleasantness of the State of a Subject (PSS) associated with the desire objects, and that the magnitude of these changes is called a "strength of desire". If the change () of the PSS for a subject S associated with X is positive/non-positive then X is called desirable/undesirable correspondingly. DESIRE s,x =  (PSS s,x ); STRENGTH of DESIRE s,x = | (PSS s,x )|. Main advantages of this model of desire: it is mathematically clear, supported by experiments, intuitive.

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“…Perhaps classic problems of philosophy of science (e.g., the structure of scientific theories) could be impacted as well, as suggested by Paul Churchland (1989). More generally, many philosophers have suggested that the neurosciences can affect major questions of traditional philosophy and ethics, such as the nature of desire (Schroeder 2004), moral cognition (Prinz 2007), but also free-will, self-control, and personal identity (Roskies 2002). Second, some questions raised by the neurosciences themselves can be worth exploring from a philosophical point of view, including the neural coding of information and the meaning of the word "information" in that context (e.g., Garson 2003), the problem of perceptual binding (i.e., how our perceptions become united into wholes even though all individual features that comprise them are distributed about the brain) (Hardcastle 1997), or the issue of the neural correlates of consciousness (Frith et al 1999;Rees et al 2002;Block 2005).…”

Section: Evolution Is Philosophically More Interestingmentioning

confidence: 99%