Conatus and Homeostasis

Conatus, a term that I believe was first coined by Spinoza, refers to the philosophical sentiment that all organisms have the will to survive, and live well. Homeostasis, a concept introduce by Damasio parallels the concept of contuse, as it refers to the constant maintenance an organism does to maintain stability. Although the relationship between homeostasis and contuse can be seen on many levels, to be concise, I would like to focus on conatus and how it applies neurobiologically. Conatus is involved on a neurological level when an individual responds emotionally not simply with reflex, but as Damasio, puts it "A complex set of responses". For example, let's say an individual is playing with a large dog. Although the individual has decided through interacting with the animal that it is friendly, he is still hesitant to trust the dog completely. When the dog puts its mouth near the man's hand, he immediately withdraws it to protect himself from a situation that may not have been a real threat.