innées

Innées is the feminine plural form of the French adjective inné, meaning innate. In French usage, inné or innée describes traits or responses that are present from birth, inherited, or genetically determined, and are often considered to be built into an organism’s biology or evolutionary history. The term is commonly contrasted with acquis, referring to traits gained through experience or learning.

In biology and medicine, innées can refer to innate immunity and other preprogrammed defenses or responses. Innate immunity includes barriers such as skin and mucous membranes, and cellular defenses by phagocytes and natural killer cells. It relies on receptors that recognize broad molecular patterns and provides a rapid, non-specific response, in contrast to adaptive immunity, which develops specificity over time through exposure.

In behavior, innées describe actions that emerge without prior learning and are largely directed by genetics and development. Examples include reflexes like the sucking and grasp reflexes in infants, and certain species-specific patterns such as nesting or migratory cues. While many behaviors have learned components, innate behaviors form a baseline repertoire for a species.

In cognitive science and philosophy, innateness refers to the idea that some knowledge or abilities are present at birth or arise without training. This view is associated with nativist theories about language, perception, or other cognitive faculties, though it remains a subject of debate, with competing emphasis on experience and environmental influence.

Overall, innées as a concept highlights distinctions between genetic or developmental endowments and traits shaped by learning, environment, or culture, across biological, behavioral, and cognitive domains.