HardJedi; Philosophy question for class

[mrbsox]

Can training ALTER instinct ??

As Marines, we go thru various training scenarios.
As humans, we have basic instincts.

Can human INSTINCT be changed ??

Sudden changes in light levels, I catch myself closing my right (dominant) eye. This trained to conserve night vision.

Sudden LOUD noises still has me ducking, instant defensive posture. If your standing next to me….. well, you don’t want to be within arms reach.

Just wondering what your class would have to say !
Other comments / similarities from Marines ??

Terry

[Osotogary]

Maybe the training you receive as a Marine defines, in terms of recognition and reaction, the basic instincts that you have developed prior to becoming a Marine. Maybe your training as a Marine sharpened the instincts that you already had. Maybe the awareness of your surroundings was sharpenened by your Marine training.
I'd say yes but I wouldn't use the word alter. I would use the word enhance.

[HardJedi]

Well, Mrbsox, I will ask both my psycology professor, my philosophy professor, and my biology professor, as I think your question could concievably relate to all three fields.

in my opinion, ( and this is in no way official definitions or opinions) Instinct is what we know and do with NO learning beforhand, and with no knowledge of what we SHOULD do.

Therefore to me, you cannot train someone to have good instincts, although you can train people to IGNORE thier instincts.

for example, you can train someone to jump out of an airplane. this should go against your basic instinct for self preservation. we train people not to panic and flee in the face of danger( which is a built in instinct in most animals)

what you describe with your closing of an eye to preserve night vision, and ducking at unexpected noises, are examples of LEARNED, or conditioned behavior( as it was when I hit the werewolf in the haunted house) LOL

does that make sense? I will ask around though, and see what more educated people than me have to say about it.

[Namvet67]

Instinct is inborn...you either have it or you don't! You may be able to alter it in some people! Ignore it? Sure...the Marines have a way of teaching that in boot camp! Instinct will always be there but you can be trained to go against it. Your sub-conscious mind plays a part in this!

[lucien2]

The training recieved while I was an active duty Marine still stays with me today (I entered the Corps in 1978), and saved my life once at work. And the training kicks in automatically for me!

[yellowwing]

(I can't believe that I missed this interesting discussion)

Top predators will not flee in the face of danger. If you and a Grizzly accidently stumble into each other, you had better be quick with a 44 magnum!

Hyenas will stay together as a group, and face down a pride of lionesses until the danger passes.

That's us, the United States Marines.

I'm leaning towards the Biology explanation. 13 weeks may seem forever at the time. But is it really that very long to 'condition' life long reactions and sense of unity?

We come from the whole cross section of society and upbringing. I can't remember his name now, but isn't there a younger Marine among us that left an affluent family to join us? And there are always news stories of inner city youths joining the Marines to escape gang life.

I think it's the conditioning of the predatory instincts that we Few already have. We're only looking for about 2,800 recruits a month. A quick look shows over 100,000 HS students just in Michigan.

Most people just don't have it in them.

The rest is just lessons learned.

The last time I was in a real group street brawl, I knew in an instant that the punks were trying to separate the four of us. I put my punk on his ass and immediately consolidated our group. Even at 7 on 4 (two were our girlfriends) they backed off.

And I know when to run like hell. I was walking down a semi-lit street in New Orleans when 6 gang types suddenly veered from across the street towards me. Superman could not have caught me!

My wife has only 'goosed' me in the shower twice. The second time was an accident.

The outside of my shoe heels still wear down first because of the 'Night Creep' method of walking.

I too still close one eye when getting up in the middle of the night, for a glass of water or head call.

[BHABIT]

Yellowwing...

The test is to walk the street in NOLA and set them up for your ambush...

Predators... yes, all predator animals when intimidated will run; we however should we listen and learn are at the top of the food chain.

[HardJedi]

ok, here's the short answer. ( as told by my psycology professor who is head of the department, and my philosophy professor, who is retireing after 35 years this spring)

no, instinct cannot be CHANGED, though it can be SUPRESSED.


anything new we do, is a learned behavior, or conditioned response