The computer metaphor is a useful way of talking about memory, though. It's easy to understand. Ethology Ethology is the naturalistic study of behavior from an evolutionary perspective. Ethologists have observed many complex behaviors in different species that could not have been learned. Their explanation is that these species were born predisposed to behave, perceive, and learn in species characteristic ways.
Some insects build very elaborate and sturdy shelters on their first try.
They couldn't have learned it or done it by chance. The environment isn't ignored, but neither are physiology, sense organs, ecology, genetics, or evolutionary history.