4 ms·

Humans don't have "intrinsic" desires, and we don't have instincts (except arguably as babies), like building nests and hives. Instead, our desires become shape

by javert 15y ago

Humans don't have "intrinsic" desires, and we don't have instincts (except arguably as babies), like building nests and hives. Instead, our desires become shaped over time by the process of thought and past experiences we've accumulated. I agree more with my grandparent post than my parent post. We have (as individuals) learned to value certain particular kinds of achievement, and when we do achieve those achievements, it makes us feel satisfied.

philwelch 15y ago
What part of the brain is missing in humans, then? The human brain adds on functionality, but it doesn't take anything away. We have the same instincts and desires most primates have, and maybe a few of our own. On top of that we have a mind that can add its own desires, or rationalize the ones already there.
tambourine_man 15y ago
Humans don't have "intrinsic" desires, and we don't have instincts Says who? Based on what? You are seriously underestimating one of the hardest questions ever posed and for which there is no (and there may never be) definitive answer. Tabula rasa, genetic determinism, nature vs nurture, etc are all deep, hard problems. As a matter of fact, can you even significantly define “desire” or “instinct”? A lot of smart people have tried in the last 2500 years and there is no consensus yet.
- walexander 15y ago
  Instead of responding to your parent directly, i'll just add that this is exactly why I prefaced my post with "I believe". That said, I'm not implying we have built in instructions to go create a townhous. Simply that there is possibly a driving force that compels us to create, then a reward for doing so.
corin_ 15y ago
"our desires become shaped over time by the process of thought and past experiences" How does, for example, sexual arousal fit into that theory? Sure, it's a desire, but can you argue it's not an instinctive desire that evolution has given us for pretty obvious reasons?

by javert 15y ago

philwelch 15y ago

What part of the brain is missing in humans, then? The human brain adds on functionality, but it doesn't take anything away. We have the same instincts and desires most primates have, and maybe a few of our own. On top of that we have a mind that can add its own desires, or rationalize the ones already there.

tambourine_man 15y ago

Humans don't have "intrinsic" desires, and we don't have instincts Says who? Based on what? You are seriously underestimating one of the hardest questions ever posed and for which there is no (and there may never be) definitive answer. Tabula rasa, genetic determinism, nature vs nurture, etc are all deep, hard problems. As a matter of fact, can you even significantly define “desire” or “instinct”? A lot of smart people have tried in the last 2500 years and there is no consensus yet.

walexander 15y ago
Instead of responding to your parent directly, i'll just add that this is exactly why I prefaced my post with "I believe". That said, I'm not implying we have built in instructions to go create a townhous. Simply that there is possibly a driving force that compels us to create, then a reward for doing so.

corin_ 15y ago

"our desires become shaped over time by the process of thought and past experiences" How does, for example, sexual arousal fit into that theory? Sure, it's a desire, but can you argue it's not an instinctive desire that evolution has given us for pretty obvious reasons?