Human Instincts: Necessary for Humans to Survive

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Human instincts allow humans to survive in the wild. Without human instincts people would have to learn everything that they do. An instinct is a trait that is not learned, but passed down from generation to generation. It is a skill that is already known and perfected without training, or practicing that skill. Without human instincts humans would not be as superior today, and they would not have survived in the wild before civilization was created.

Adrenaline is an instinct that comes from our ancestors. Adrenaline comes from the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are found directly above the kidneys in the human body, and are roughly 3 inches (7.62 cm) in length. Adrenaline is one of several hormones produced by these glands (McGuigan). Without adrenaline humans would not survive in the wild because they are not alert, they are not focused on what the threat toward them is. Adrenaline puts people into a state of hysterical strength (Bryant). This human instinct allows the person to have a short period of extreme strength (Bryant). I believe that without adrenaline that a human would not survive in the wild. There are many dangerous creatures and animals out there, and humans have to fight them to survive. Without adrenaline they would be strong, but they would not have the strength that they need to fight and kill other threats that are in the wild.

Another instinct that also comes from our ancestors is the fear of snakes. Snakes are dangerous creatures and can kill someone with one bite. Some snakes have hollow fangs which they use to inject venom under the skin of its prey. Other snakes have grooves in there fangs. The snake’s venom stays sticky and in the form of a small glob. When the snake attacks its pr...

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...s and what is not, and also not have the adrenaline rush that people thrive on. Therefore humans would not have survived without these.

Works Cited

"About Gary." Gary Paulsen. RandomHouse Inc, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014.

Brain, Marshall, and Robert Lamb. "How Iron and Steel Work." HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 01 Apr. 2000. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

Bryant, Charles W. "Are Humans Wired to Survive?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks Inc, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

"Early Stone Age Tools." Human Evolution by The Smithsonian Institution's Human Origins Program. Smithsonian Institute, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.

McGuigan, Brendan, and L. S. Wynn. "What Is Adrenaline?" WiseGeek. Conjecture, 15 Feb. 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.

Paulsen, Gary. Guts. New York: Random House, 2001. Print.

Pianka, Eric R. "Human Instincts." Human Instincts. N.p., 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.

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