--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-preservation is the first law of…" description: "\"Self-preservation is the first law of nature.\" — Samuel Butler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg" --- # Self-preservation is the first law of nature. ![“Self-preservation is the first law of nature.” quote by Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg) > “Self-preservation is the first law of nature.” [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-preservation is the fundamental instinct that drives all living beings to protect themselves. **In simple terms:** Survival instinct protects life. Key Takeaway Prioritize safety and self-care. Themes survival instinct self‑protection Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal safety - health decisions - risk assessment - conflict avoidance Key Concepts evolutionary biology psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑care with helping others? - When does protecting yourself become selfish? A Different Perspective Self‑preservation can conflict with altruism or societal duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law of nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-of-nature/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation/) [Self preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-preservation/) ## Related quotes > [Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life; second, to liberty; third, to property; together with the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/among-the-natural-rights-of-the-colonists-are-these-first-a-right-to/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I don't know - too much about Robert Williams tactics, but if he was trying to defend himself, he was within his God-given rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-don-t-know-too-much-about-robert-williams-tactics-but-if-he-was/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Man's rights are evident branches of, rather than deductions from, the duty of self-preservation, commonly called the first law of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/man-s-rights-are-evident-branches-of-rather-than-deductions-from-the/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [“The first law of nature is self-preservation. 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Dalton [Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Self-preservation is the first law of nature.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Butler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-nature/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Identity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-nature/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/samuel-butler-823_identity_self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-na_1595028.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Self-preservation is the first law of nature.” — Samuel Butler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Samuel Butler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Self-preservation is the first law of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-nature/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/self-preservation-is-the-first-law-of-nature/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```