Is survival a choice?

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I was considering this question the other day. My thought on this after thinking it over a little is absolutely not. That primitive animal need to survive to do anything we can to live or at least make sure we don't lay down and die easily is not really a fully conscious thing. You are in a crowded building and there is an explosion you start running fighting anything it takes in your need to get out. People have stepped on other people over this overpowering drive, sometimes suriously injuring others through a behaviour that is clearly not truly their fault. A drowning person, I've heard it said, will commonly trying to yank a rescuer under only to save himself. That just doesn't sound much like choice to me. Of course I know their are odd circumstances, but over all no not a choice at all.

Very good question.

Another example is when drowning the desire to breathe can be strong. This can be their undoing. There are actuality at east 6 types of drowning.
https://www.yahoo.com/health/there-are- ... 34222.html

The desire to survive doesn't predispose the correct action.

It isn't cut an dry, but the compulsion to survive is a very strong, however mental illness might change that. It is possible this urge is overridden. Personality plays a part.

I would say there are many conflicting motor and ideas that make up a person, but there is no doubt we have survival instinct.

As we are used to living is fairly stable environments, when we are outside out comfort zone, we might not know what to do.

The distinction is that when you panic, the primal functions of the brain dominate. You react, but without intelligence.

Running from an explosion might be the dumbest thing you could do...although it seems like the right thing to do instinctively.

Retaining rational thinking during a crisis is what prevents a lot of the situations you described.

Heck, as far as drowning, except for those who don't know how to swim, much of that is caused by TRYING to swim when all you need to do is focus on floating well enough to keep your mouth above water. Once you panic, you start flailing about rather than "swimming."