Instinct over Thought?

I wonder how much we really follow our ‘gut’ or as I think it should be more properly called, instinct. There are probably very few times on big decisions that we allow the, arguably, more primitive version of ourselves to take charge. I say arguably because I see the gut as being the way that the average person removes all the outside noise from the situation and reduces it to the basics. That process tends to go on behind the scenes until the conscious brain starts to catch up and then adds in it’s own ‘two pennorth’. The change to the decisions the gut might make is probably more to do with tinkering rather than wholesale overhauling.

The only times we might entirely go with our gut is when we have to make a life or death decision and the necessity for that is far less common than perhaps it once was. Also, it might happen if we see something happening that requires an instant response, such as a medical emergency.

I may feel that I went with my gut on many occasions but I think it’s more likely that I went with a mediated version of my gut. As someone who is not an expert I am only giving my own view backed by a small amount of reading but I really don’t think I am far off.