7. Seventh Lecture: The Biology of Fear
Fear is a relatively straightforward phenomenon in human beings. It has a cause, and it generates a corresponding feeling in the subject's mind. However, this simplified conceptualization belies the complexity of fear. To truly understand it, one must adopt a deeper perspective, one that can transform our understanding of existence itself. In this chapter, we shall explore fear from scientific, psychological, and philosophical perspectives, applying Hegelian dialectics to develop a more nuanced understanding of fear as a vital element in the existence and evolution of consciousness.
Let us begin with a fundamental question: are we born inherently fearful, or is fear something we develop over time? The answer to this question shapes our approach to addressing fear, as it directs us to its source. At first glance, this inquiry may seem to touch on the very essence of human nature, making it both profound and critical. How much fear, if any, resides within us at the moment of conception — before any external, scientifically provable, or otherwise perceptible influences can act upon us?
Let us first argue that fear does not exist at all in this primordial state. Imagine, for a moment, that we are born as complete tabulae rasae, devoid of fear in the sense of being afraid. In this view, fear would arise solely from our experiences and environment. This perspective is not without merit, and many are inclined to support it. One could argue that even Thomas Hobbes, who viewed humans as naturally selfish and competitive, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who regarded humans as inherently good and cooperative, would agree that such psychological tendencies emerge from social conditions.
Rousseau’s concept of the "noble savage" depicts a state of natural gentleness and goodness. While Hobbes emphasized the fear of death, he situated it within the external conditions of existence — forces that drove people into conflict, necessitating a social contract to prevent destruction. In this sense, their views on the initial state of human existence align more closely than they might first appear.
Similarly, René Descartes’ assertion that one should reject any belief found to be doubtful mirrors the mindset encouraged in modern cognitive therapy for addressing fear and anxiety. John Locke, on the other hand, argued that all material for reason and knowledge arises from experience, famously stating, "in one word, from experience." Even Sigmund Freud, who emphasized the role of repressed childhood trauma in the development of fears, acknowledged the presence of innate instincts and impulses.
The scientific approach largely supports the idea that fear is learned. It is not difficult to understand how one stimulus, when paired with another, can lead to the learning of fear. In a classic experiment, 11-month-old "Little Albert" was shown a friendly rat while simultaneously exposed to a loud bang. Soon, he exhibited a frightened reaction to the rat alone — an example of classical conditioning. Similarly, it is easy to see how a person repeatedly bitten by a dog might develop a fear of dogs (operant conditioning). Numerous experiments have demonstrated that children learn to fear things by observing their parents' fearful reactions (observational learning). Fear can also be instilled through the influence of others' opinions or expressions of fear (social learning). Furthermore, some individuals are biologically predisposed to developing fears, phobias, or anxiety more readily. Prolonged exposure to stress or trauma has been shown to cause learned fear. Implicit learning, which can be beneficial, can also work against individuals by conditioning them to fear certain stimuli.
This perspective seems reasonable, and we might be tempted to conclude that all fear is learned in one way or another. However, Hegelian dialectics invites us to challenge this view. By negating the premise that all fear is acquired, we can argue the opposite: that fear is innate, present in every human being from birth. In adopting this stance, we find ourselves alongside several distinguished thinkers.
Martin Heidegger contended that fear is an integral part of Dasein from the moment it experiences self-consciousness. He linked fear to existential freedom, positing that the uncertainty of existence, combined with an awareness of temporality, is its root cause. Gabriel Marcel described anxiety as "the natural reaction" to a life filled with uncertainty. Martin Buber stated, "Fear is the primal state of man." Friedrich Nietzsche argued that "fear is an essential condition of all that is animal" and that "man is the one most given to fear," emphasizing its role in survival. Existential psychologists Rollo May and Irvin Yalom regarded anxiety as the basic human condition, while Jean-Paul Sartre frequently described fear, loneliness, and anxiety as fundamental properties of existence.
Though the idea of inherent fear has strong philosophical backing, one might seek scientific evidence to substantiate it—and such evidence is readily available. An evolutionary perspective reveals that fear is deeply embedded in all living beings as a survival mechanism.
Neuroscientists have explored this extensively. Antonio Damasio, using brain imaging, observed that newborn infants’ brains respond differently to fearful faces compared to neutral or happy ones, suggesting an innate capacity to recognize and react to fear. Joseph LeDoux demonstrated that the amygdala, a brain region critical for processing fear, reacts to fearful stimuli even before an individual is consciously aware of them, indicating that the ability to experience fear exists from birth. Jaak Panksepp found signs of fear in newborn rats exposed to loud noises, further supporting this innate capacity. Lynne Isbell, an evolutionary anthropologist, discovered that vervet monkeys exhibit innate fear responses to predators such as snakes and birds of prey, even without prior experience. Russian psychologist Evgeny Sokolov, using electroencephalography (EEG), observed strong startle responses in newborns exposed to sudden loud sounds, implying a built-in fear mechanism. Additionally, Claude Bernard identified the body's inherent fear reaction, such as the contraction of the arrector pili muscles, which causes body hair to stand on end.
There are many more experiments that point to inherent fear responses. For example, we observe evolutionary reactions in our own bodies when encountering something resembling a snake — our body reacts before we consciously identify what we’ve seen. Similarly, many people experience an instinctive fear of jumping into dark water or being at great heights. These observations suggest that fear is not something we merely learn but is something innate, requiring us to develop courage to confront and overcome it.
Once again, we find ourselves at a crossroads, faced with the choice of the proverbial red pill or blue pill: to embrace one perspective and dismiss the other as naive. Instead, we should aim for a more comprehensive understanding and follow the path of negation of the negation. What if both perspectives are true? What if the coexistence of innate fear and the capacity to learn specific fears defines what it means to be human? As Yalom observed about death, we might also say about fear: the very concept of fear can be life-preserving.
Let us next venture into the realm of myths. In the Greek myth of Oedipus, the protagonist’s fate is to kill his father and marry his mother. Despite his efforts to escape this destiny, he unwittingly fulfills the prophecy, ultimately blinding himself upon discovering the truth and choosing to accept the consequences by going into exile. Among its many interpretations, this myth holds psychological significance as a way of confronting one’s fears.
Laius, Oedipus’s father, learns of the prophecy that his son will kill him and marry Jocasta, his wife. This fear drives him to abandon Oedipus. Decades later, when Oedipus hears of the prophecy, he leaves Corinth — the city he believes to be his birthplace — out of fear that he might harm his biological parents. Despite his attempts to avoid fate, he kills a man who turns out to be his father, solves the riddle of the Sphinx, becomes the king of Thebes, and marries the widowed queen Jocasta, unknowingly fulfilling the prophecy. While fear of the prophecy’s predictions provides an obvious explanation for the characters' actions, a deeper layer of fear, tied to subjective experience, warrants exploration.
The myth of Oedipus has inspired many interpretations of anxiety and the attempt to distance oneself from fearful possibilities. Heidegger, predictably, sees Oedipus through the lens of thrownness and anxiety as fundamental aspects of existence. He states, “The fate of Oedipus is a reminder of the human condition of fear, which is always present in the struggle to understand our place in the world,” emphasizing that complete understanding of existence is unattainable. For Heidegger, Oedipus's tragedy lies in his failure to grasp his existence and role in the world, highlighting the human condition’s dependence on fate and the limits of understanding.
Nietzsche offers a complementary interpretation. He views Oedipus’s tragedy as emblematic of humanity’s finite understanding of the world and our place within it. He links this to the Sphinx’s riddle, describing it as “the symbol of the primordial fear that lies at the basis of all knowledge.” (The riddle asks: “What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?” Oedipus solves it by answering: “Man, who crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and uses a cane in old age.”) Nietzsche contends that excessive rationalism and the insatiable desire for complete knowledge can be destructive. He writes, “The tragedy of Oedipus is not only the tragedy of a man who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother, but also the tragedy of a man who is unable to accept the unknown and the uncertain.”
Hegel shares this perspective, stating that "Oedipus' tragedy is a representation of the human condition and the limitations of human understanding." He criticizes Oedipus for failing to recognize his limitations, his thrownness. This failure led Oedipus to take responsibility "for the whole compass of the deed." According to Hegel, our limitations are shaped by both our individual characteristics and the historical context in which we exist. We can only understand and evaluate our actions within the framework of our current era. He concludes, "Oedipus' tragedy is a result of his failure to understand the historical context in which his actions took place, revealing the limits of human reason and understanding."
This brings us to a profound conclusion about fear itself: there is an inherent component of fear that cannot be eradicated through rationality. Regardless of intelligence or action, we cannot fully conceptualize our existence to achieve complete peace. The essence of life involves confronting constant fear. The only variable is how we manage that fear under our current circumstances. Avoidance or suppression of fear often leads to significant psychological costs, with fears returning more intensely when unaddressed.
Denial of the inevitable challenges of existence reflects an avoidance of evolutionary truths, ultimately weakening us. The stark reality is that most people will face severe illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes at some point. Statistically, over half the population experiences at least one major trauma with lasting psychological consequences. Mental health challenges — depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder — affect nearly every family. Add to this the lighter but still impactful hardships of life, such as job loss, financial instability, or relationship breakdowns. Most relationships fail. Half of men and a third of women will develop cancer. More than half of deaths are linked to severe illnesses, including heart and lung failure. Substance abuse, addiction, or legal conflicts touch almost every family. On top of all this, natural disasters and global crises remain an ever-present threat.
At this point, one might sarcastically wonder, "What a happy view of life!" Yet, the purpose of this reflection is not to create illusions of a carefree existence devoid of fear or suffering. Instead, it is to face fear and accept it as an intrinsic part of reality, preparing ourselves for the hardships that accompany our fragile and finite existence. When faced with life’s compounded challenges, the fears that once seemed overwhelming may pale in comparison. We must acknowledge that we are all, in some sense, Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laius. Despite our best intentions, we can — and likely will — fail in significant ways.
What, then, can we conclude? Fear is an inherent aspect of our existence. While some fears are learned, others are innate and immutable. Fear is essential for the growth of consciousness, serving as a force that drives us to build resilience and character. To be braver, we must become better—better equipped to accept the fears imposed by fate and the uncertainties of existence. The impossibility of fully conceptualizing our existence becomes a central truth when we embrace it as the essence of being in the world.
Through dialectical reasoning, we can deepen our understanding of our present condition. As Hegel said, "Oedipus' tragedy is a result of his failure to achieve self-awareness, and that true self-awareness can only be achieved through a process of self-reflection and reconciliation of the subjective and objective." This reconciliation involves integrating the possibility of suffering, chaos, and sudden misfortune into our consciousness and accepting it as part of our fate in this historical moment. This acceptance can be profoundly liberating, allowing us to transform fear into strength and develop a more robust character.
When we stop fleeing from fear and embrace the uncertain nature of existence, we gain a new perspective on life. We become acutely aware of our limitations while unlocking the potential to balance fear with resilience. The recognition of life's inherent suffering, paradoxically, grants meaning to our existence. It is through confronting fear that we liberate our spirit and find the strength to embrace the unfolding process of becoming.
This lecture has provided a brief meditation on the biology of fear and the associated concepts. These ideas will be explored in greater detail in the lectures to follow.
