Comment by brendon2 on Thou Art Godshatter · 2007-11-14T22:50:00.000Z · LW · GW

J Thomas : "So for nutrition you need sufficient energy and your body might have pre-programmed goals for repair and growth, and whatever helps meet those targets could provide that sense of well-being that announces something worked."

this sort of system might work for thirst or even carbs and protein but would be pretty bad at things like getting you to eat balanced amounts of vitamins and minerals. for instance, your diet could be vitamin b12 poor for months or maybe longer before you would feel the pinch (your body stores the vitamin pretty well, i'm told), and i doubt you would then start 'craving' vitamin b12 rich foods - particularly because there had never been an appetite-satiety relationship you could have picked up on, even unconsciously.