Do you believe that humans have instincts?

Question

Yes or no. If yes: what are they? name them? If no, why not? What replaces instincts?

Did you know that this is still in debate
by some of the top scholars? It binds itself within Psychology, Scociology, Philosophy, and Biology...and these four doctrines can't even decide the answer. ????

Kimberly thanks for answering...the title? I have no idea about it ???-- just popped up. My popularity gonna suffer? lol we need to talk...... :) Your answer is good but y'all know I have some differences......will add more later!

Volcanic...good thinking.

I'll return tomorrow to interject some of my views...Rissasmom....don't bring this subject up on Sunday or there will be ramifications....lol lol lol

Kimberly, HI! You started out saying that yes we have instincts but within the context I see unclearness as to where you draw the lines between instinct or emotional manuevers. I will reread this tomorrow. Maybe its me and I am lost! lol

On Envirolink Forum.com several persons were debating this issue...here are some samples which I believe:They defined instincts as a (quote) "complex pattern of behavior present in every specimen of a particular species, that is INATE and that cannot be overridden".
Sex and hunger can be overridden so cannot be considered instincts.(Sociology: An introduction - Ian Robertson, Worth Pub., 1989)
There are instinctive reflexes, reflex ( baby sucklingand pull hand back from fire) mind rules (learned pliable instincts), and traits (crying, hunting and are learned or aquired).
[www.wikipedia.com] Instinct to survive is a myth cause the real goal of evolution is to contribute to the wildnerness. So, on this note I applaud all of you for answering this debatable question.

Isn't it great that we can agree to disagree and share views without screaming or going off the deep end?There were 3 answers that were close...sorry there can only be one best answer....and that is........
I'll be back...

Answer 1

Human have desires to power, to comfort. They have few instincts, they should desire instinct because it's the first step in acquiring more instinct. With instinct, you are impermanant, careless about the futur, worriless about the consequences of your action. Without instinct, you worry, you hesitate to act because you fear or do not want a thing, you scream when you face chaotic and awkward situation -- you are so coward and mindless.

Answer 2

The brain stem is all instinctive and was the first part to exist in humans. The last part was the intellectual. The middle two parts were the moving and the emotional. They all operate at different speeds with the intellectual being the slowest. As well, different indivuals have a tendency to use various combinations more often than others. This is actually the basis of Neurolinguistic Programming and other systems.
So, for example, an emotionally centered person will be able to make most decisions more rapidly than an intellectually centered one but may not be able to explain the process using words. Some might call this instincts but it has little if anything to do with the instinctive center, it is only many times faster. Much more can be found by studying G.I. Gurdjeff and Peter Ouspensky in the Fourth Way material.

Answer 3

"All animals have some basic instincts, and humans are animals, so we have
those instincts as well. We have the instinct to survive and the instinct
to reproduce (have children), so that the species will survive. So eating,
drinking, and reproducing are instinctual behaviors. Instinctual
behaviors are things we do almost automatically, without having to
learn that we need to do them. However, most behavior is learned. For
example, it is an instinct to eat, but eating in a "civilized" way -
sitting up straight at the table, using a knife and fork, etc., is learned.
Much animal behavior is also learned. If you have dogs or cats, you might
have noticed that they come running when they hear the sound of a can
opener or the sound of their food being poured into their bowl. They have
the *instinct* to eat, but they have *learned* that those sounds are
associated with being fed; it is not a built-in instinct to respond to a
can opener. "

Answer 4

Hi Ellie,
Both... Every animal has instinct... Being taught is supplement to instinct.... I believe we all definitely have an instinct for survival and procreation....
>>>>>>>>
In humans, they are most easily observed in behaviors such as : emotions, sexual drive, and other bodily functions, as these are largely biologically determined... Instinct provides a response to external stimuli, which moves an organism to action, unless overridden by intelligence, which is creative and hence far more versatile....
>>>>>>>>
Since instincts take generations to adapt, an intermediate position, or basis for action, is served by memory, which provides individually stored successful reactions, built upon experience... The particular actions performed may be influenced by learning, environment and natural principles... Generally, the term "instinct", is not used to describe an existing condition or established state...
>>>>>>>>>
I can trust my instincts, however I know that my emotions and thus my instincts can be manipulated... So, I tend to be wary at first.... :)

Thanks, for the question!;)
Ps : congratulations, with your "title".. :)
This was a positive remark :)


My regards!

Take care!

Answer 5

Most certainly. Yes.

There is no other way of explaining the nearly identical development of societies totally isolated in the past.

Cities, schools, farmers, royalty, nobles, roads, places for higher learning, etc. We may just have a harder time admitting it about ourselves. After all, it is easier to see others 'faults'--> instincts-- so to say than those of our own.

If you speak several languages you will also see how limited we truly are. English and Japanese may be totally unrelated; however, a book is a book, though the name differs.

Once you examine the concepts, these are extremely similar. Of course, there are cultural differences--more so yesterday than today.

Answer 6

We have more instincts than any animal. ( humans are animals ) William James called language, " An instinct to acquire an art ". This has been borne out by the paradigm shifting work of Noam Chomsky.

Answer 7

Yes, They are patterns of behavior that are relatively primitive, and closest to animal behavior. They are processes in that part of the brain (sometime called the Reptilian brain) tha is the small core region between the right (creative) and left (reasoning) hemishpheres. Instinctive reasoning or feeling becomes most obvious in dreaming and other non-verbal positions, and can sometimes be recognized best in feelings and thought that occur when one is in the half-state between sleeping and waking.

Answer 8

Yes I believe they do. A mother has the instinct to protect their child before their own life. If you place your hand on a burning stove then you would pull away without having to think about it. Do you need more examples? When you are freezing you shiver to keep yourself warm. The list goes on and on.

I hope that this helps

Answer 9

We all have basic instincts survival being the most important. Then we have 6th sense, which is particualry well developed in women where they can sense if something is fishy or dangerous.

Answer 10

We defiantly have instincts. We have the flight or fight instinct.
The will to survive instinct. The sense of what something or someone is.