Medical Why aren't hunger thirst and (the need to) sleep considered reflexes?

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A reflex is defined as an automatic and involuntary response to a stimulus, typically resulting in movement or glandular secretion. The discussion raises questions about the nature of stimuli, particularly whether basic needs like hunger, thirst, or fatigue qualify as stimuli for reflex actions. It emphasizes that reflexes occur without conscious thought, contrasting them with voluntary actions like choosing to eat or drink. The conversation also touches on the idea of a "death reflex," suggesting that certain extreme stimuli can trigger instinctual responses. Overall, the key points highlight the automatic nature of reflexes and the distinction between reflexive and conscious actions.
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A reflex is an automatic and involuntary response of a living thing to the presence of a stimulus. A reflex is usually a movement, but it can be the activation of secretion in a gland.

Is it because there is no particular stimulus? Not having eaten, drank, slept for a while is not considered a stimulus?
Is it because you have to learn what thirst is, you have to learn that drinking solves the problem?

Thank you.
 
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A reflex is performed without conscious thought - there is no pressing conscious need to do it you just do.
Properly triggered, a reflex is something you cannot choose not to do ... where you can choose to, say, starve to death.
There is also a relatively uncomplicated cause and effect involved in a reflex.

Consider also:
do you have a "death reflex" that is triggered by the application of large quantities of high-speed lead?
 
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Ok thanks! :)
 
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