I’m reaching out with an article that touches on the oscillation and connection of four religious priorities that, though different in their traditional treatments, I see as deeply interrelated. The priorities in question are: Instinct, Drive, Desire, and Transcendence. While these might seem like distinct concepts, they speak to a much broader human experience that can be viewed through various lenses: physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, and intelligence theory.
1. Instinct – The Language of Nature Through Physics and Chemistry
Instinct, in its raw form, is like a fundamental language we speak without conscious effort. The rhythms of life—our pulse, breath, the movements of our muscles—are driven by forces that can be understood through physics and chemistry. From the impulse of an action potential in a neuron to the release of neurotransmitters, instinct is the set of automated responses we have to the world around us. In the same way that a rock drops under the force of gravity, our instincts pull us toward survival, perpetuating species through patterns often beyond our conscious control.
But there’s a catch. Physics and chemistry don’t just explain the motions of particles; they also allow for emergent properties. Just like a snowflake forms from the interaction of individual molecules, human instinct creates complex behaviors shaped by genetic inheritance. These instincts aren’t set in stone—they evolve as biology adapts to environmental shifts. The presence of an instinct is like a base pattern laid down by nature’s hand; it’s there in the background, guiding us without us needing to ask.
2. Drive – The Engine of Emotion and Social Intelligence
Drive, or prāṇa as it is called in Indian culture, is where things really start to get interesting. It’s the force that propels us into action—the hunger we feel, the yearning for connection, the inner drive to pursue goals. What sets drive apart is its deep connection to both emotional and social intelligence, domains typically associated with psychology (though the more artistic expressions are explored through psychoanalysis, schizoanalysis, and socioanalysis). Drive acts as the fuel for our actions—the inner engine that propels us toward desires, whether that’s seeking a partner, satisfying hunger, or standing up for something we deeply believe in.
From a psychological perspective, drive plays a major role in our emotional landscape. Theories of motivation, like Maslow’s hierarchy, show us that we have innate drives for survival, safety, love, and self-actualization. Drive, much like instinct, is an impulse, but it is tempered by the emotional and social intelligence we develop. We act on drive through learned patterns, tempered by the expectations of those around us. Whereas instinct can be seen as a sort of blind force, drive is a far more nuanced interaction with the world—a product of both personal experience and the social contexts in which we live. Here, the interplay of instinct and drive can be seen as a dance—instinct sets the stage, while drive fills in the gaps with complexity and subtlety.
3. Desire – Biology, Psychology, and the Concrete Push for Fulfillment
Desire, as the next step in this framework, is often where we find the clearest overlap between biology and psychology. Desires are not vague aspirations or dreams—they are deeply tied to the biological processes that govern our brain and body. Neurochemicals like dopamine guide our motivation toward specific ends. Whether it’s the desire for food, love, or power, our desires are wired into us to ensure we fulfill needs that promote survival and well-being.
However, desire is not purely instinctive. It is the result of complex cognitive processing. It involves our ability to evaluate rewards, to anticipate pleasure, and to strategize about how to achieve our goals. The biological aspects of desire—the chemicals and hormones—serve as the foundation, while the psychological elements provide the higher-level strategies. These desires oscillate between what is biologically necessary (food, safety) and what is psychologically conditioned (status, identity), creating a complex web that guides us.
The interplay here is rich. Biology and psychology are not discrete—they feed into one another. The chemical signals sent from our body to the brain shape our desires, while the brain processes those desires through cognitive frameworks, often building new desires over time based on past experience and social conditioning. In a sense, desire is a feedback loop that is as much about biological wiring as it is about psychological reinforcement.
4. Transcendence – Symbiotic Intelligence, Beyond the Self
Transcendence is where the idea of symbiotic intelligence truly comes into focus. It represents the drive to move beyond the individual self (often referred to as the body-mind). Transcendence involves rising above immediate desires, drives, and instincts, aiming for long-term symbiosis between the diversity of human talents and the technological extensions of those talents, which manifest as social systems. While transcendence is often discussed within religious and political contexts, it is also a fundamental aspect of human experience. Whether through the search for meaning, the realization of collective intelligence, or the feeling of interconnectedness with the universe, transcendence acknowledges that we are not isolated—we are integral parts of something much larger. This “whole” extends beyond family, clan, and tribe, surpassing national borders to encompass global empires. As we shift from contexts of trust and connection to those of conflict and power dynamics, symbiotic intelligence aims to address these tensions, guiding civilization-building as new information systems emerge. These systems challenge the traditional methods of industrialism in resolving deadlocks and shaping the future.
Symbiotic intelligence, as I see it, broadens the concept of interconnectedness. It’s not just about the individual mind functioning in isolation, but about a deeply embodied and enminded co-creation of values and perspectives—a dynamic, interactive intelligence. This transcendent dimension weaves together instinct, drive, and desire, not only within individuals but across the biosphere and noosphere, sparking new emergences that could be either constructive or destructive. The constructive outcome might be called Syntheos, while the destructive counterpart could be Anti-Syntheos, exemplified by creations like the atomic bomb. This is where the divine or the sacred becomes relevant—not as an abstract idea, but as an interaction, a relationship between beings that transcends the limits of the body-mind. While it’s fashionable to fixate on the future, transcendence is more about being deeply responsive to the present moment, acting to gradually improve it by balancing the conditioning of what is actual with the creativity of what is virtual and yet to be.
This is where the divine or the sacred comes into play—not as a distant or abstract concept, but as a tangible interaction, a relationship that transcends the confines of the body-mind. While it’s tempting to focus solely on the future, true transcendence lies in our ability to be fully present, responding to the current moment with awareness. It involves a delicate dance between acknowledging the realities of what is and tapping into the creative potential of what could be, gradually shaping a better world through this dynamic interplay.
While I may not claim to have all the answers, the connections between these ideas invite further exploration, both in academic discourse and in our personal understandings of existence.