Emotions are a kind of certain behavioural responses given out when a particular stimuli reaches brain. In simple animal behaviour language it is by a releaser concept. We see the use of emotions only in higher organisms, generally mammals (and its considered as an evolutionary advantage). It was first described by Sir Charles Darwin (1972) that non-human animals also possess emotions. There was an early theory of emotion proposed independently by William James and Carl Lange (1834-1900), who believed that emotion is perception of internal physiological reaction to external stimuli.
The origin of emotion in life history cannot be traced, but it certainly has some evolutionary significance. Since it is the fact to be noted that lower organisms didn't have emotional behaviour as it is a kind of learned behaviour. The lower organisms in the tree of evolution use their instincts for their survival and to respond to the environment. The instinctive behaviour is a gene based response. And we know that there was a gradual shift from instincts to the learned behaviour, which gives a better survival score. Emotion comes under the same category of behaviour. As we see humans beings at the top of the evolutionary table, we can assume that we have mastered their use. In this article I wish to concentrate on the human, since interpretation of non-human emotions is itself a major topic of study. Human beings developed emotions as a very important step in the course of cultural evolution (as we know since Homo sapien came into existence its the cultural evolution/memetic evolution that is more actively seen than the genetic one). They help in communication, as they also are a part of social behaviour humans possess. For that matter I believe that we live in the "World of emotions".
In early human days when language was not used, human race used sounds, from which came speech. Along with the sound and facial expressions the early hominids were able to communicate. As time passed came along the language, signs and symbols. This was a better mode of communication. The language along with the expressions took over the ancient mode of communication. Slowly the scripts came into picture. Facial gestures were used for conveying things which is also the scenario today. The main thing which developed is language and phonetics. Interestingly today emotions are conveyed even through actions, without the facial movements. Today they are supported by different words in the language we use, they can be expressed by variation in the pitch of the voice and intensity of sound etc. This is the state of it today.
But biologically speaking its just a reaction to the external stimuli. Many physiological reactions can decide the course of such responses. Mainly hormones are the major factors influencing it. Studies show that simply excitation of certain centres of brain can elicit responses of different glands under the control of pituitary (King of glands). When we cry its the tear glands, while expressing anger/excitement its adrenalin running in our body. These processes sometimes also affect the normal body functions like, heart rate (pulse), water balance (sweating/urination) etc. That shows how much external environments control us, its the way we perceive.
When we look at it the other way round, its a totally different picture. We can see a selfish biology acting behind all this. According to selfish gene theory (Richard Dawkins), every organism has a selfish motives behind his actions (may be conscious or unconscious) (#NOTE: Except altruism, which even evolutionary biologists are finding out why?#). Here I am not going into the subject of memetics but it can be summed up saying every biological entity is selfish enough to survive. Well emotions can be used as a weapon of biological selfishness. For example, it can be used to disguise a person from actual situation. It again depends on the analytical powers of that particular person and beware of such consciously performed acts.
Whatever it is however it is, we have to accept that the world without emotions is useless. Without them this "beautiful world" is nothing but rocks and living chemical units (systems), well organised and called as biota. That proves that emotions are integral part of human life. Since beauty is a kind of good feeling that I expressed while mentioning about this world in the above sentences. That proves that they are integrated. So now it is up to us to think, how much importance to be given to them in our lives?
Having mentioned all these things I forgot to include that "EMOTIONS ARE A HEIGHT OF SELFISH BEHAVIOUR (BIOLOGICALLY) SHOWN BY ANY ORGANISM"...
