[ThoughtOfficer]

I suppose I'm looking for counter-arguments/pro-arguments/any opinion at all more then a yes or no answer. Much of Sociology, Evolutionary Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience (and other sciences, I'm sure) suggest that most, if not all, of human thoughts/actions/feelings are based on instinctual things like survival and impressing a mate (actually, I've heard it reduced to only those two things); which to me makes sense. Most cultures seem to have a noticable pattern (many developed a "dragon" for instance), religions all follow the same pattern and to me this suggests that all people will respond to the world similarly, not because it is the most logical thing to do, but because we are as predictable as birds migrating or salmon going to spawn. What do you think? Do you have evidence to suggest otherwise (empirical evidence, preferably)? Also, for those that do subscribe to this notion, how do you deal with it? Does it bother you at all? I believe this idea to be accurate and itdepresses me to no end. I find it hard to function when I know there is little use in expecting spontaneity or logic from people. But if my feelings are decided by instinctual factors, why should my unconscious react this way to this knowledge?jasper.everstar: My question deals less with the idea of fate. But your example does add to my point; most cultures followed a pattern similar to another's. Much like say, a certain prolific animal species will hunt/live a certain way, and an animal of similar species in a different area will still hunt the same, despite a different environment and never interacting with the previously mentioned animal. We may recognize what we're doing (but we are helpless to have "true" sapience), but our actions seem like nothing but instincts made more difficult to recognize by attempts to morally justify it, etc, but the fact remains they are still patterned and unavoidable, like instinct.