--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The instinct to survive is human nature…" description: "\"“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival insti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b4/robert-a-heinlein-209_character_the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature_22275.jpg" --- # The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every… ![“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct acts sooner or later to eliminate the individual and thereby fails to show up in future generations. . . . A scientifically verifiable theory of…” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b4/robert-a-heinlein-209_character_the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature_22275.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b4/robert-a-heinlein-209_character_the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature_22275.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b4/robert-a-heinlein-209_character_the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature_22275.jpg) > ““The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct acts sooner or later to eliminate the individual and thereby fails to show up in future generations. . . . A scientifically verifiable theory of morals must be rooted in the individual's instinct to survive--and nowhere else!--and must correctly describe the hierarchy of survival, note the motivations at each level, and resolve all conflicts. We have such a theory now; we can solve any moral problem, on any level. Self-interest, love of family, duty to country, responsibility toward the human race . . . . The basis of all morality is duty, a concept with the same relation to group that self-interest has to individual.”” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human behavior is driven by a fundamental survival instinct; moral systems must be grounded in this instinct and organized hierarchically to resolve conflicts. **In simple terms:** Morality derives from survival instinct. Key Takeaway Survival instinct underlies all duties. Themes human nature ethics evolutionary psychology hierarchy conflict resolution Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - ethical decision‑making - policy design - education curricula - leadership training - conflict mediation Key Concepts instinct duty self-interest group cohesion Practical Applications - moral theory development - social cohesion strategies Questions to Reflect On - How does survival instinct shape moral judgments? - Can duties ever be justified beyond self‑interest? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Sooner or later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-or-later/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Survival instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival-instinct/) ## Related quotes > [Like every living thing its prime characteristic is a blind, unreasoned instinct to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/like-every-living-thing-its-prime-characteristic-is-a-blind/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Evolution throws a wonderful light on all the struggles, eccentricities, tortuous developments of the human conscience in the past. It is the only theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mccabe/evolution-throws-a-wonderful-light-on-all-the-struggles/) [Joseph McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mccabe/) > [We all know, from what we experience with and within ourselves, that our conscious acts spring from our desires and our fears. Intuition tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/we-all-know-from-what-we-experience-with-and-within-ourselves-that/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Hunger, love, pain, fear are some of those inner forces which rule the individual's instinct for self preservation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/hunger-love-pain-fear-are-some-of-those-inner-forces-which-rule-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The instinct to survive will never change, neither will the human body's amazing ability to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lofty-wiseman/the-instinct-to-survive-will-never-change-neither-will-the-human-body/) Lofty Wiseman > [“I didn't know how to tell him that I hadn't lost the instinct to survive and yet at the same time I didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hamilton/i-didn-t-know-how-to-tell-him-that-i-hadn-t-lost-the-instinct-to/) [Jane Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hamilton/) > [“The need to love and be loved overrides comfort and even the instinct to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-stosny/the-need-to-love-and-be-loved-overrides-comfort-and-even-the-instinct/) [Steven Stosny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-stosny/) > [If we have anything in common as humans it's the instinct to survive. When you go in the ring you are going against that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/if-we-have-anything-in-common-as-humans-it-s-the-instinct-to-survive/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [''I will never give up because my primate instinct is to survive.''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/i-will-never-give-up-because-my-primate-instinct-is-to-survive/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [The basic of all morality is duty, a concept with the same relation to group that self-interest has to individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-basic-of-all-morality-is-duty-a-concept-with-the-same-relation-to/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Self-interest, or rather self-love, or egoism, has been more plausibly substituted as the basis of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/self-interest-or-rather-self-love-or-egoism-has-been-more-plausibly/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion. So now people assume that religion and morality have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/one-of-the-great-tragedies-of-mankind-is-that-morality-has-been/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [My father once told me that respect for truth comes close to being the basis for all morality. 'Something cannot emerge from nothing,' he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/my-father-once-told-me-that-respect-for-truth-comes-close-to-being/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Every nation makes decisions based on self-interest and defends them on the basis of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/every-nation-makes-decisions-based-on-self-interest-and-defends-them/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [My basis of morality is this: does this action enhance life, or does it denigrate life? Does it build up or does it tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/my-basis-of-morality-is-this-does-this-action-enhance-life-or-does-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/war-is-not-violence-and-killing-pure-and-simple-war-is-controlled/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. Heinlein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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