I feel...therefore I am? A conversation about emotions

As suggested during our last Table Conversations, tonight we are going to be discussing emotions. Almost everyone seems to have them... let's try to understand them!

1. What, to you, defines an emotion?
2. What is your favourite emotion? Why?
3. What is your least favourite emotion? Why?
4. Do you think that AI will ever achieve human-level emotions? Why or why not?
5. Which is more important: emotions or intellect? Why?
6. What do you do to regain your balance when you become emotional?
7. Do you think that crying in public is a sign of weakness? Why or why not?
8. When is it least convenient to become emotional? Why?
9. Do emotional reactions run in families? Why or why not?
10. Do you seek out people with a similar emotional disposition to your own? Why or why not?
11. Which public figure (if any) do you consider to be an example of emotional stability? Why?
12. Which public figure (if any) do you consider to be an example of emotional instability? Why?
13. Do you believe that animals experience human-like emotions? Why or why not?
14. What do you believe is the link between memory and emotion? Why?
15. What is something which is guaranteed to make you angry? Why?
16. What is the most powerful emotion? Why?
17. If you could live without one emotion which would you choose? Why?
18. Do you believe that you can have an intense discussion without becoming emotionally involved in it? Why or why not?
19. Do you believe that you are too emotional, too lacking in emotion, or possessed of just the right emotional balance? Why?
20. What is something which is guaranteed to make you happy? Why?
    *** Bonus Questions ***
21. What is the difference between mood and emotion? Why?
22. What one emotion most negatively impacts society? Why?
23. Is there a societal benefit to freely expressing your emotions? How about a personal benefit? Why or why not?
24. How do you believe that you are affected when someone else expresses intense emotions towards you?
25. What, if anything, is the difference between an emotion and a feeling?

I hope that you will join us for this emotional discussion.
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Given the success of this format we are going to be continuing to gather via Zoom. We will be allowing up to 30 participants for this meeting and, after a brief introduction, we will be splitting off into virtual "tables" of six.

As long as you have RSVP'd before 5:30PM on the day of the event you should receive an email from Robert prior to 6:30PM giving you the Zoom meetup credentials.
*** PLEASE NOTE ***
If you are a member of Table Conversations and you didn't receive an email announcing THIS Table Conversations meetup then you likely won't receive the email with the Zoom information on the evening of the event. Please confirm that your Meetup.com profile is configured correctly by carefully following the step-by-step instructions in this link: https://www.meetup.com/tableconversations/events/270360456/
Otherwise, since I don't control Meetup's mail system, if you are not receiving notifications please contact Meetup.com for assistance.
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* Room opens at 6:45PM (often earlier) for socialization
* Discussion starts at 7:15 and finishes at 8:45ish
* Keep talking until dawn!