I propose that intellect thought has, on the whole, more happiness causing potential than unhappiness causing potential. The reason that Intellect Thought has more happiness causing potential is that the Thoughts from Intellect are largely voluntary. We can choose whether we exercise these aspects of Thought. Consequently if these types of Thoughts are making us unhappy we can often choose to stop thinking the Thoughts.

For example if you are in a job that requires you to use some aspect of your Intellect to perform the tasks required and this is making you unhappy then you have the option to leave and not think those Thoughts again. That a person may sometime stay in this type of job is not the fault of Intellect but rather a fear of change - see the discussion on Self Thought in Part 1, Consciousness - or maybe a perceived altruistic reason that is in line with their values. If you have a hobby that uses Intellect you are not going to continue with it if it doesn't make you happy - that would be a very strange masochistic hobby. Consequently a hobby or pastime is a source of happiness. If some aspect of Intellectual Thought processes has more happiness causing potential then we can choose to continue it or do it more often.

Intellect Thought processes are usually also necessary for the planning for and achievement of goals, and therefore is vital for this type of happiness.

Intellect Thought is important for happiness for three reasons:

It allows a person to gain mental skills and abilities, which can be used in gaining physical skills;
It allows a person to determine values, which can guide how we live and which goals to choose; and
It allows a person to plan and work towards those goals.

The gaining of skills, both physical and mental, is necessary to allow us to perform work, to gain a wage or start a business or to have a hobby. Skills are also important for activities that some people would not associate with happiness, but are still necessary for life.

The gaining of skills can be have happiness potential in that when we gain competence with a skill it may provide a sense of satisfaction. A person may see himself or herself as being good at something. There may also be a gain in self esteem. A carpenter who is at the top of his skills and trade and is involved in, say, the construction of a house may feel competent which can lead to a sense of satisfaction.

Values are determined through use of our Intellect and are important to living a values based life. Values may be different for each individual, although there is likely to be a lot of similarities as well. Values are also informed by your beliefs, understanding and experience of meaning in life, your understanding of what is ultimately important.

A point of clarification is necessary here. Happiness derived from Intellect Thought is though a sense of satisfaction derived from this Thought process and the associated achievements and sense of competence. For example if I were to use my Intellect to design a solar house that required no external power or water supply I would feel a sense of satisfaction about this. Or to put it another way, my Self Thought processes would identify with this achievement and I would therefore feel a sense of satisfaction. Design of a solar house is an achievement in itself. It would also be in line with my values and I would consider it important. However the actual Intellect Thought processes, for example the mathematical modelling and drafting, are not directly happiness producing. They are usually coldly logical and will fill the Consciousness Vessel limiting the space available for emotion and consequently happiness. However while I am doing this process - between the actual intellect thoughts - and after it, I am aware that it is in line with what is important to me and I feel a sense of satisfaction.

Flow

When using intellect thought there is a concept called "flow". An example of flow might be if you are participating in your favourite hobby, whatever that may be, you become so engrossed in it your awareness of the passing of time disappears. Aligning this idea with the Consciousness Vessel model proposed earlier I would say that your Consciousness Vessel was filled largely with intellect thought. This severely limits the other aspects of consciousness. The emotion part of consciousness is also collapsed to very little and therefore as happiness is part of emotion you may not be aware of happiness whilst in this state of flow. Awareness would also be contracted to the minimum capacity to allow you to concentrate on the object of the hobby. For example you may not feel the cold or be aware of the noisy traffic out on the road or you may not feel hungry. In fact the awareness of things other than what is immediately important to the hobby disappears. Thought is largely limited to intellect thought, and other thought processes, such as Self Thought and self-image, are limited. Effectively you disappear. It can suddenly be hours later when you come back from the flow state. You might suddenly notice that it is becoming dark, you look up and find that the sun is setting and it is past your meal time. The time has flown.

Clearly you are doing this hobby because you enjoy it. But while you were in the process of flow were you actually aware that you were happy? Probably not, you were too busy with the hobby itself to actually be aware of your emotional state. So should you stop it and go and do something that is more happiness inducing. Definitely not. While in the flow you were not aware of happiness. However when you come back out of the flow you may experience a sense of satisfaction from having done something that is worthwhile to you. And this sense of satisfaction is happiness inducing.

Another related concept is being in the "Zone". This is particularly used in sporting parlance to describe a player that is operating at his or her maximum ability. Emotion and Self Thought is diminished, Awareness and Intellect Thought and the associated skills are in the ascendancy.

Intellect thought does have happiness causing potential, however it is indirect rather than direct. It delivers a sense of satisfaction after the Intellect thought process has occurred or through the ability to learn worthwhile skills. This derived sense of satisfaction is a positive Self Thought, and this has sustained happiness causing potential.

Creative Imagination

Creative imagination is similar to Intellect in impact on happiness. Use of creative imagination is largely voluntary - we can usually stop it if it is giving rise to unhappiness. I would also like to suggest that to have the most happiness causing potential a creative pursuit that arises from creative imagination should also be in line with values.

There is also the state of creative flow that would work along similar lines to intellect flow.

Next Page - Emotions and Happiness

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