(09-18-2018, 03:21 PM)Foxglove Wrote: The Nomads are supposed to be highly intelligent, empathetic telepaths. If they didn't understand emotion, they would not be that. Anthing further like "why'd the DKV design the Nomads with the ability to be emotional" falls into place from there. Also, saying that emotions in human being are merely remnants of the animals we evolved from is overly simplistic. They are not more and not less than the key to our survival as a species. They are absolutely useful to have.
You could argue seeing Nomads express this is cringy, but well.
You seem to be equating understanding emotions with having them and being controlled by them. Nomads can learn to understand the emotions of their hosts, and of the humans they observe, but that doesn't mean they have to be subjected to emotions themselves. Kinda like a Torero understands that a Bull is bound to attack the red cloth, without feeling the urge to attack the red cloth himself. The Torero understands the bull's emotions and isn't driven by them (or his own emotions which make him want to drop the cloth and run away), the bull follows his rage instinct without understanding what's happening to him.
The point is that Nomads come across as the exact opposite of intelligent when they act emotionally driven. What separates humans from animals, the thing that makes us unique as a species to the point of making us "intelligent", is our ability to act rationally and not only emotionally/instinctively driven.
The "emotional machine is better machine" kinda reminds me of poorly thought through 60s robot scifi. But sure, avoid rational discussion when it doesn't suit you, with a "everything's just a matter of opinion and some opinions matter more than others". It's a big thing in disco.