Exploring the list of ‘physical impulses provided by the body’.

Flammifer

Well-Known Member
This was thought confusing in the class. Particularly, what is the difference between ‘preservation’ and ‘physical fear’, and between ‘propagation’, ‘sexual desire’, and ‘the physical side of love when the “wedding” of hroa and fea was most close’?

Let’s start with the first one. The impulse for ‘preservation’ (of the body) is often described as ‘the fight or flight instinct’. The emotion generated is either adrenalin fueled aggression or panic. This is very different from the emotion of ‘physical fear’. A soldier can feel ‘physical fear’ on the verge of battle, with no concomitant impulse to flight or to fight. These are descriptions of different emotions, or ‘physical impulses’ of the body.

There is also a considerable difference between the impulse towards propagation, the impulse towards ‘sexual desire’, and the impulse towards ‘the physical side of love’. The impulse towards propagation is the desire to have children, to love and nurture the children one has, and to protect those children. Although sex is necessary to the process, none of these emotions can be accomplished by sex alone, and all can be accomplished (and have been often) without ‘sexual desire’ or ‘the physical side of love’ being involved. Likewise, ‘sexual desire’ can and does certainly exist without any component of ‘love’ as an emotion being involved’. ‘The physical side of love’ can be a much more complex impulse and emotion than ‘sexual desire’ alone.

In short, all the examples in JRRT’s list are separate impulses or emotions. I see no reason to be confused or to conflate them.
 
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