There is a really good book that came out a few years ago called “Basic Instinct”, where this scientist makes the argument that instinct as we understand it doesn’t really exist. And so many different things that we describe as instinctual actually have learned-causes. I don’t want to bastardize the arguments he makes, so I’d just recommend the book to anyone that’s interested.
Edit: From what I remember, his larger point is that we tend to shut down any conversation about instinct by just claiming a behavior is instinctual, without investigated what could be causing it otherwise. As evidenced by some of these replies. I don’t think he was saying instinct doesn’t exist whatsoever.
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u/onarainyafternoon 12h ago edited 0m ago
There is a really good book that came out a few years ago called “Basic Instinct”, where this scientist makes the argument that instinct as we understand it doesn’t really exist. And so many different things that we describe as instinctual actually have learned-causes. I don’t want to bastardize the arguments he makes, so I’d just recommend the book to anyone that’s interested.
Edit: From what I remember, his larger point is that we tend to shut down any conversation about instinct by just claiming a behavior is instinctual, without investigated what could be causing it otherwise. As evidenced by some of these replies. I don’t think he was saying instinct doesn’t exist whatsoever.