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What Separates Humans From Animals?

freeeekyyy

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It's commonly accepted that humans are different from/more valuable than other animals. But why is that? What is it about humanity that makes us any better or of any greater worth? Why do animals not have the same rights as people? I have my own ideas about this and my own reasons, but I want to know what you all think first. Are we better than animals, and if so, why?
 

Qlip

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We're better than animals in the same way that I'm better than you. Which is to say, I'm not really, but I have to answer for my own survival before yours.
 
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Sniffles

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The established philosophical answer has been humans have rational faculties wheras animals do not.
 

King sns

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Because we can make tools bitch!
No, I can't, but people in my species can...
 

Nicodemus

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What is it about humanity that makes us any better or of any greater worth?
Humans regard humans as better or having greater value than other animals because they are alike. We recognize ourselves in other humans much easier than in other animals. It serves an evolutionary purpose. But we can change.

Why do animals not have the same rights as people?
Because we are slow.

Are we better than animals, and if so, why?
No.

But what do you think?
Peguy prefers to memorize what others have thought, in case you had not noticed.
 

theadoor

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Number of chromosomes, pretty high brain to body volume ratio (as well as generally more developed brain) and thumbs.
 

Stanton Moore

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What do you think?

I think the difference lies in the degree of cognition and tool use. Animals can have some self-awareness, and some use tools. Reason and cognition seem to lie on a spectrum, even within our own species.
 

freeeekyyy

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I think the difference lies in the degree of cognition and tool use. Animals can have some self-awareness, and some use tools. Reason and cognition seem to lie on a spectrum, even within our own species.

But why does that matter? Is it about survival? If it is, we're at a disadvantage compared to some much simpler organisms. Bacteria, for example. Why is having the ability to reason desirable or better than not having it?
 

Savage Idealist

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Well, technically speaking there are a lot of qualities that seperate us from animals, but at the same time we are but animals ourselves. Biologically speaking we are but the result of millions of years of evolution through several hominid species that developed and evolved higher brain functioning levels than those of other animals; but none the less we are technically animals in the scientific definition. From a more abstract definition of what it means to be human, we could probably say that our level of thought and rationally excedes that of almost any other creature in existence, although the abstract definition of human can be put up for debate regarding its definition.
 

Stanton Moore

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But why does that matter? Is it about survival? If it is, we're at a disadvantage compared to some much simpler organisms. Bacteria, for example. Why is having the ability to reason desirable or better than not having it?

Why does what matter? I don't know which part you are referring to…
I wasn't making a judgment about value. You can decide for yourself whether human reason and consciousness have been more valuable to our survival than not. It seems to me that our ability to alter the environment was advantageous at one time, but now? I have my doubts.
All traits are about survival. They would not have come to be if they had not conferred some advantage that increased the chances of living long enough to breed.
 

Zarathustra

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All traits are about survival. They would not have come to be if they had not conferred some advantage that increased the chances of living long enough to breed.

Not all traits are about survival. That's taking a narrow view of evolution. Most people don't realize this, but Darwin had two theories: natural selection and sexual selection. There are many traits that have nothing to do with survival, but plenty to do with being chosen as sexually attractive by members of your species' opposite sex. There are also many traits that are just vestiges of time past, that serve no survival function anymore, but have also not been enough of a hindrance to our survival to go away.
 

Spurgeon

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According to Lenore Thomson (author of Personality Type: An Owner's Manual), Introverted Feeling is what separates us from other animals.

I swear I'm not making it up!

I will find the quote when I get home.
 
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