Man its funny how a species that's smarter than a wolf can ascribe all of the male wolves actions to a greater instinct. I wonder if a species smarter than man could ascribe all the complex things humans do to a greater instinct. No that's crazy we are after all humans.
So we meet again Typical_08, I am going to go with "To protect his family." No I am not nor have I been in the military but I have many family members who have and I have discussed this very topic with a psych professor or three. A man would jump on a grenade, and not every man mind you, to protect his buddies when he has been conditioned to believe those buddies are his family and he has been removed from his family for an extended period of time. Societies entire purpose is to override the instincts we have that do not better the group and bolster the ones that do. The military does the same thing in its training to a greater degree.
Again I am with you on this one. Snakes just don't have the parts of the brain for this kinda thing.Additionally, given the answer you give, how does this relate to snakes being sapient or having emotions? Will a snake give itself so another snake of another bloodline can return to care for their young?