Conversation: Are emotions innate or learned?

Are Emotions Innate? A Socratic Dialogue
Are emotions something we are born with, or are they learned through culture, language, and experience? Join us for a guided Socratic dialogue exploring one of the most enduring questions in philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science.
Rather than a lecture or debate, this meetup will be a structured conversation. Through questioning, reflection, and careful listening, we will examine how different frameworks—philosophical, psychological, and experiential—approach the nature of emotion.
Topics we may explore include:

• Are some emotions innate while others are learned?
• What distinguishes an emotion from an internal sensation?
• For example: Is disgust an emotion, or is it more accurately described as a bodily sensation?
• How does psychological arousal differ from emotion?
• What is the distinction between affect and emotion in psychological theory?
• If emotions are learned, how is subjective emotional experience transmitted or aligned across individuals so that emotions feel “the same” to different people?

No prior background in philosophy or psychology is required—only curiosity and a willingness to engage thoughtfully with others. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions (including their own), and help clarify concepts through dialogue rather than persuasion.
This meetup is ideal for anyone interested in philosophy of mind, psychology, neuroscience, ethics, or simply understanding their own inner life more clearly.
Come prepared to think, question, and explore together.