nino / 10 Jan 2011 20:41

Instinct, is it Inherited or is it Habit

Individuals refer to both habit and instinct as one of those radical
characters that are capable of action. It is common knowledge that an often
repeated act, speedily becomes a habit with an individual, and as such
repeats itself almost like a machine, and over time it just becomes a reflex
action. Look at children and the biting of nails, if not corrected, and
given some time this will become the norm in their daily lives, sometimes
lasting a lifetime. Could this be considered an Instinct ? from birth a
newborn baby must be taught most things, but not all, and one is the
instinct to nurse. In all mammals the instinct to nurse is strong, but as we
have learned, this happens at a certain age during their development, and if
brought into the world to early, they may not know how to suckle.

Habits seem to be a learned behavior, quite different than an instinct, or
sit ? Could a habit from one generation be transmitted to its offspring ?
Is the habit of one generation the instinct of the next ? Tough question,
one must determine whether instinct is built on habit, or habit built on
instinct, that is the question.

Nature of instinctive acts: Most intelligent beings perform acts for a
particular purpose. These acts of knowledge are controlled by adaptation
that have a means to an end that result in experience, and merging naturally
into habit. Habit is then the customary use to which the individual puts the
parts that Nature itself has endowed it with when it reaches maturity.

The term "Instinctive" is applied to those acts which are performed without
previous experience, and by acknowledgement, as far as the individual is
concerned, there is, and can be no consciousness purposeful action or of
adaptation of means to an end. I mean look at this way, young waterfowl swim
and dive, but land birds do not; birds build nests with out instruction and
with no help or action from older more experienced birds. These are the acts
of instinct are of the simplest form, but much more difficult acts have been
noted.

Nature, in itself has gifted all creatures the means to exist, and to
reproduce to insure each individual species an existence.

Is instinct founded on habit? Most naturalist would agree that the outcome
of most instinctive acts are those of preservation, and that instinct is
inherited habit; in other words what has been found beneficial in their
experience of individuals has become habitual with them, and through their
decedents it has become the habit of the race.

It must be noted that this position was taken by the oldest of naturalists,
and all should researched by the individual before taking a position.

Research from E. Davenports book "Principles of Breeding"

Submitted by nino on 1/10/2011 8:07:41 PM