The Emergence Machine

Instinct

abstract · psychology · Level 9 · E6

E6Organisms

Each concept here is mapped to its prerequisites — the ideas you'd need first to understand it — all the way down to four foundations: Space, Time, Energy, Pattern. Click any prerequisite to drill down, or scroll for the chain graph.

Trace. Question. Emerge.

Emergence definition

instinct emerges from nervous-system. It requires behavior, pattern.

Compare Instinct with…

Wiktionary senses

External reference — all senses of the word “instinct” on Wiktionary. This atlas concept maps to only the slice of meaning relevant to the prerequisite graph.

Loading senses…

Source: Wiktionary — “instinct”. Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Historical origin

Origin word
instinctus
Origin language
lat

Prerequisite chain

Possible path of this concept down to the fundamental substrate.

thisfoundationsL9L8L7L6L5L2L1L0InstinctNervous SystemOrganNeuronTissueAdaptationAnimalBehavior… intermediate l…FormLifeProcessStructureActionChangeMatterEnergyPatternSpaceTimeE1 concrete → E14 abstract

Neighborhood

Direct prerequisites above, concepts that depend on this one below.

thisprerequisitesInstinctL9AdaptationL5BehaviorL5Nervous SystemL8E1 concrete → E14 abstract

In other languages

Prerequisites

What you need to understand first.

  • Adaptation L5 (requires) Biology sense
    An instinct is an innate behavioral response shaped by evolutionary adaptation to environmental pressures.
  • Behavior L5 (requires)
    Instinct drives behavior
  • Nervous System L8 (foundational)
    Nervous System provides the foundational basis for understanding instinct.