Gut instinct

[Ciaphas]

I read somewhere recently that gut instinct can lead to better decisions in life. We often over think stuff and might end up making a distorted decision when in fact our first thought or instinctive inclination is the best one.

So where does that instinct come from? In my world of faith I recognise it as the Holy Spirit which Jesus told his disciples would be here to help after He was gone.

Those of little or no faith may have other ideas. So where does your gut instinct come from? We all have it so what is it?

It's a cognitive shortcut which gives an emotional nudge towards a particular course of action based on net experience, no need to bring religion or the supernatural into it.



We often have to make decisions where there is no or little objective basis to pick a particular course of action, or at least the individual in question lack the capacity or information to make a intellectual decision. Emotional decision making steps in at this point.

[Baron von Lotsov]

I'm only a beginner in these matters, correct me if I'm wrong, but this emotional stuff comes from the hypothalamus, and like anything like that we have a Wiki entry which describes it thus:

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus and is part of the limbic system.[1] In the terminology of neuroanatomy, it forms the ventral part of the diencephalon. All vertebrate brains contain a hypothalamus. In humans, it is the size of an almond. The hypothalamus is responsible for the regulation of certain metabolic processes and other activities of the autonomic nervous system. It synthesizes and secretes certain neurohormones, called releasing hormones or hypothalamic hormones, and these in turn stimulate or inhibit the secretion of hormones from the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, important aspects of parenting and attachment behaviours, thirst,[2] fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms.[citation needed] The hypothalamus derives its name from Greek ὑπό, under and θάλαμος, chamber.

It's a very tiny bit of brain responsible for a vast amount of emotional intelligence. Maybe one day they will fit it all on a microchip - .

[T00ts]

The human brain is a conflicted compromise between the higher order functions of the cerebrum, the lower order autonomic systems of the cerebellum and the fight or flight reactions of the primitive amygdala.



Most of the stress of everyday life comes from a failure to resolve the conflict of actions suggested by those systems, one presenting the logical measured path, the others the OMG DO SOMETHING path of the primitive animal for whom the decisions revolve around getting lunch and avoiding being lunch.



A fairly cursory examination of elementary brain biochemistry reveals the exact reason for a "gut" instinct. Not least the action of those primitive centres ON the gut to fire up your afterburners to prepare to fight or run like ***k.

Of course it is, on a human level.  :roll:

[johnofgwent]

The human brain is a conflicted compromise between the higher order functions of the cerebrum, the lower order autonomic systems of the cerebellum and the fight or flight reactions of the primitive amygdala.



Most of the stress of everyday life comes from a failure to resolve the conflict of actions suggested by those systems, one presenting the logical measured path, the others the OMG DO SOMETHING path of the primitive animal for whom the decisions revolve around getting lunch and avoiding being lunch.



A fairly cursory examination of elementary brain biochemistry reveals the exact reason for a "gut" instinct. Not least the action of those primitive centres ON the gut to fire up your afterburners to prepare to fight or run like ***k.

[Churchill]

I will never forget nor will I ever be able to explain it

[T00ts]

One never knows if in those circumstances its just coincidence or something else, in my life I have been to a place more then once I know I have never been before but knew my way around and really felt that I had been there before.



I was driving across Ireland on a fishing trip with the wife over 40 years ago suddenly for no reason I braked hard and came almost to a stop  seconds later a French registered car came round the bend at high speed on our side of the road, if I had not braked I would have been in the bend and the idiot would have wiped us out head on

Definitely something else!

[Churchill]

One never knows if in those circumstances its just coincidence or something else, in my life I have been to a place more then once I know I have never been before but knew my way around and really felt that I had been there before.



I was driving across Ireland on a fishing trip with the wife over 40 years ago suddenly for no reason I braked hard and came almost to a stop  seconds later a French registered car came round the bend at high speed on our side of the road, if I had not braked I would have been in the bend and the idiot would have wiped us out head on

[T00ts]

Years ago when my kids were small we were heading down the M5 to Tintagel on holiday. The further we went the more restless I became until I told my husband and asked to turn off and go somewhere else. He looked at me as if I had gone crazy but as we were camping after a bit of discussion he turned off. Only then did I relax.



The next day I learned that 2 people (as I remember it) were washed off the rocks by large waves and had died right where we would have been on the beach.

[Churchill]

I read somewhere recently that gut instinct can lead to better decisions in life. We often over think stuff and might end up making a distorted decision when in fact our first thought or instinctive inclination is the best one.

So where does that instinct come from? In my world of faith I recognise it as the Holy Spirit which Jesus told his disciples would be here to help after He was gone.

Those of little or no faith may have other ideas. So where does your gut instinct come from? We all have it so what is it?

I think it goes back way in time to early man when senses were more acute than they are now survival depended on them, IMO most people still poses two of them when faced with danger either fight or flight, experience of life and dealing with people gives many a gut feeling about what is safe right or what is not or makes the hair on your neck stand up

[T00ts]

One of the patches I have states "Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly."

That's really good advice!  :hattip  ::

[papasmurf]

Proof - if proof were needed - that God's on your side.

One of the patches I have states "Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly."

[T00ts]

Proof - if proof were needed - that God's on your side.

I wasn't really thinking about sides or where God was in the fray. Gut instinct seems to apply in all sorts of situations. I have had times when I suddenly feel that I should change a plan, realising later that it wasn't just a silly idea but had good reason. On the other hand I have had an insight that I have ignored only to find that the suspected result happened. Are we all clairvoyant?

[Paulus de B]

So where does that instinct come from? In my world of faith I recognise it as the Holy Spirit which Jesus told his disciples would be here to help after He was gone.

Those of little or no faith may have other ideas. So where does your gut instinct come from? We all have it so what is it?

Gut instinct can save your life. It was part of SOE training in the Second World War. If you suddenly feel threated get away quickly.

Proof - if proof were needed - that God's on your side.

[T00ts]

Gut instinct can save your life. It was part of SOE training in the Second World War. If you suddenly feel threated get away quickly.

I believe you but did they say why you suddenly became aware to the point of taking action?

[papasmurf]

Gut instinct can save your life. It was part of SOE training in the Second World War. If you suddenly feel threated get away quickly.