Why does our most essential survival instinct sometimes turn against us in modern life?

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 29 September 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Fear is among the earliest emotions to evolve, serving as a vital mechanism to help vertebrates escape predators and avoid danger. Yet, this same instinct can backfire, causing paralyzing phobias or driving us to seek out terrifying experiences like horror films. Can understanding its biology help us master it?

Fear is a fundamental evolutionary adaptation, shared by most vertebrates and potentially some invertebrates. At its core, the emotion functions as a biological alarm system, designed to ensure survival by prompting an immediate response to threats, such as fleeing from predators or steering clear of hazardous environments. This ancient mechanism is deeply embedded in our biology, acting as a safeguard that has preserved life across countless generations.

However, the system is not infallible. In contemporary settings, this same protective response can malfunction, manifesting as debilitating phobias that leave individuals paralyzed by stimuli that are, in reality, harmless. This paradox raises significant questions about the nature of our internal alarm: why does a system designed for survival sometimes produce outcomes that hinder our daily functioning? Furthermore, humans exhibit a strange tendency to voluntarily engage with fear, seeking out adrenaline-inducing activities like parachute jumps or the simulated terror of horror movies, despite our natural instinct to avoid such situations.

Robin May, Gresham Professor of Physic, explores these contradictions by examining the biological underpinnings of fear. Appointed in May 2022, May brings a background in infectious disease and mammalian cell biology to the subject. His work, recorded in October 2025, probes whether deep knowledge of our fear response offers a path to conquering these reactions or if it merely heightens our awareness of our own vulnerability. By bridging the gap between evolutionary biology and modern psychological experience, the inquiry seeks to determine if we can truly override the impulses that have kept our ancestors alive for millennia.

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