Introduction - What is sexual behavior?

Current Meanings of the Term 4: Life-enhancing Behavior

Eros, the god of love (left), being restrained by Thanatos, the god of death (right). (After ancient Greek vase paintings.)

4. The term "sexual behavior" can refer to all manifestations of the “life instinct”.
This is a very wide definition which can be traced to Sigmund Freud and his psychoanalytic theory. It was Freud who advanced the concept of "libido" (Latin: lust) which for him at first summarized the physiological energy associated with sexual urges, and later all constructive human endeavor. Eventually, he saw human life as a whole dominated by two opposing basic instincts which he named after two ancient Greek gods: Eros (the life instinct) and Thanatos (the death instinct). This view was not shared by all of his followers, but the notion of a powerful innate erotic instinct or drive was widely adopted and even became part of modern popular wisdom. Thus, in many minds "the sex drive" came to stand for man's pursuit of pleasure in all its forms. "Sex" was the underlying motive of every life-enhancing activity.