An innate desire for self-preservation, manifest in hunger, self-defensive aggression, and the sexual instincts.
〔精神分析〕求生本能，生的本能。比较DEATH INSTINCT
Compare with death instinct
Example sentencesExamples
The death instinct unties the object relations, and the life instinct reties them.
This appears to be in contrast with the role of the life instinct and sublimation in the creative arts which aim to new expression, rather than a simple enactment of the perverse impulse.
In his later writings, and in particular following his identification of a ‘death instinct’, Freud positioned the libido as the characteristic energy of the life instincts.
Ordinarily of course, self-directed aggression conflicts with the life instinct, especially its self-preservative component, the animus.
Sure, they keep on plugging along, but it's more trapped-animal life instinct than true will.
Definition of life instinct in US English:
life instinct
noun
Psychoanalysis
An innate desire for self-preservation, manifest in hunger, self-defensive aggression, and the sexual instincts.
〔精神分析〕求生本能，生的本能。比较DEATH INSTINCT
Compare with death instinct
Example sentencesExamples
Ordinarily of course, self-directed aggression conflicts with the life instinct, especially its self-preservative component, the animus.
Sure, they keep on plugging along, but it's more trapped-animal life instinct than true will.
This appears to be in contrast with the role of the life instinct and sublimation in the creative arts which aim to new expression, rather than a simple enactment of the perverse impulse.
The death instinct unties the object relations, and the life instinct reties them.
In his later writings, and in particular following his identification of a ‘death instinct’, Freud positioned the libido as the characteristic energy of the life instincts.