Instinct vs. Reason

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Well, i did clearly indicated in my original text "five human years old kid" and "five dog years old puppy". There is a difference between "five human years" and "five dog years". A five dog years old puppy does have a highier chance of survival than five human years old kid. There isn't any culture among dogs but yet they knew excatly when to do what at very young age. But a innocent 5 years old kid without any education nor instruction has no idea what to do.

i am not denying the importance and existance of the ability to learn. In fact, this is the only thing that we have. Without the learning ability, human don't have a slight chance to survive. That's why, to the extreme, if Chinese kids are not taught with the art of wielding chopsticks, they will die of hunger. Instinctively, we just don't know how to consume food. (i am aware that this is a controversial statement depends on which school of psychology one supports)

No one knows instinctively orange is good for us unless we have prior knowledge about the benefits of eating oranges. Without these past experiences, we don't even know orange exist not to mention eating it. Without prior knowledge of what food is crap, how would we know which food is crap?

Completely denying existance of human instinct isn't a "far" argument. Watson started it some long time ago.

 

Kralizek makes a very good point. Many of the hazards we face in the modern, cultured world are very different from those faced by our primitive ancestors. What dangers did early humans face that would prepare any of us today to survive an auto accident? Did they know the difference between braking with ABS/non-ABS, or controlling a skid with front v. rear-wheel drive?

Culture is different from either reason or instinct, as well. Fashion is one form of cultural expression, and there's nothing reasonable about bustles, periwigs, or stiletto heels. OK, maybe I can see the instinctual appeal of stilettos but the first two? Come on! Culture is the complex set of rules governing social interactions, and changes with a diva's whim.

I think life has to be a combination of reason and instinct, and I think today that's referred to as common sense. A rare commodity, indeed.

 

We still have instinct, blinking, swallowing, our reflexes, yet I think civilization and society has wittled everything down to those four.

 

teekc

please define instinct from your point of view.