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What separates humans from (other) animals?
I know some people will say that humans aren't animals but we are so deal with it! But what separates us from other animals, or if you prefer, what separates us from animals?
The ability to be purely malicious. Animals may do malicious acts but it's out of a sense of survival, not simply the desire to be cruel. Humans can think through an action, know the end result, not receive any benefit other than selfish joy, and still commit horrible atrocities. We engage in wars over (and against our) religious beliefs, we murder, we hunt for sport. Beyond that, I'd be hard-pressed to find anything humans can do that no other species can do.
In many mammal races, dominating males often 'maltreat' and/or kill subordinate males in order to maintain their dominance. I think cruelty in humans is the same phenomenon, just on another level.
Intelligence level. The closest animal other animal closest is the monkey or ape. They can use primitive tools, however teaching others to use this tool is out of the question. They can learn advanced sequences to do certain tasks, but they have to learn them from humans and it tskes yearsss for them to learn.
Not really. Science actually has done studies that show that dolphins and pigs are as smart or smarter than humans. And as far as advanced sequences, slime mold can create better plans for city subway systems than engineers can, and can also learn and form memories simply based on trial and error and experience. And frankly, most things humans know are trial and error, experience, and taught by other humans as well.
So, a dog can learn from another dog. A bee can learn from a bee. Gorillas can teach chimps. Dolphins can teach whales. I was using humans because you were using humans. And I personally have learned from my dogs. I was not good at chasing a ball before they made me do it.
I'm not trying to be rude or anything, I just hate that people frown down on animals because they're "lesser" and humans are "superior" when really the differences are miniscule and fairly inconsistent. Frankly, humans should really spend a lot more time learning from animals, since there's a lot we could learn from them. I guess another difference is technology, but honestly I think that's more the result of the constant unsatisfaction and greedy desire found in humans, and less the inability of animals...so it's probably not a factor that people want to lay claim to.
Humans aren't better than animals at all. You think one lone could net a spiders web as beautiful and practical as a spider could, using rope? No, they would have to plan it first, draw it, think where things would go e.t.c. Think a human could chase down an antelope with nothing but his bare hands and break it's neck? Maybe if you shot it first and it wasn't moving.. Humans may have a better a higher IQ than animals, but you could have two people, one with an IQ of 80 the other, 180, and the one with 80 would still be better than the other guy at somethings. Not maths perhaps, but why would animals need maths in the first place? They don't, they're perfectly adapted to their own environments and don't need philosophies, maths, science, politics or anything else that humans deem to be so important.
I don't know where I am going with this but I'm supporting whatever argument the guy above made, I think..
I totally agree. Frankly, I think humans are poorly adapted because we need all the trappings of human life (although my dogs like tv..). But you're right, we developed guns and weapons because we wanted to eat meat and we aren't designed for it, we can't just use our natural ability to create art, and so forth. I think moving away from relying on instincts is a big reason why people are unhappy and always looking for more. Unfortunately, we've gone too far to go back as well...
Ironically humans do learn from animals. Quite a bit. One invention I know of that was inspired by nature was Velcro. It's texture and hooks came from a plant that has similar barbs and hooks.
Basically coincidence. We differ in the extent to which certain characteristics are exaggerated, e.g. empathy (which extends not only to our family, but also strangers, other races, animals and life in general), intelligence and creativity (advanced tool making, complicated planning, art, secondary theory of mind, etc), the complexity of our communication, the complexity of our social life, etc.
One could make the case that we can access a realm of experience (i.e. mystic states, and the likes) that other animals seemingly can't. As far as I know, we haven't recorded religious chimpanzees, so I guess we have a unique capacity to believe in something supernatural. But then again, who is to tell chimps don't believe in God?
If you ask me, no difference. Birds make nests, beavers make lodges, humans make buildings.
Humans may be better at one thing, an elephant will have stronger emotions in another. It's just because humans have the ability to ask these questions and consequently answer them, we think ourselves different. We're not as it happens, we are animals, we breed, we feel emotions, we feel the need to live, we eat, respire, we dream, we die. As do many other animals. All animals are different, and there isn't really one key difference between humans and animals, just because we made machines that fly showing we're far more intelligent than dogs, just as a dog is far more intelligent than a mayfly, yet we put them both in the 'animals' category, and differentiate ourselves
Yeah. Even tools - a crow can figure out how to turn a simple piece of wire into a hook and line, and then work it properly, to reach food or nesting material that is otherwise inaccessible. Humans have a need to be superior, and I don't think that's a great quality.
No but I'm sure if I dropped you in the rain forest with absolutely nothing on you but your skin, some other animal would make something not so desirable of you within a short time...
You still need a weapon! That's the point. Humans don't have natural defenses (teeth, speed, claws) to take on these animals, but we thought we still should. If you get a bamboo spear, then give the leopard something too. And frankly, you'd still have to know he's coming, be able to outrun him, etc. A leopard has a keen sense of smell, stealth, speed, claws, teeth, weight, the ability to leap, adequate eyesight in the dark. You have a spear.
Nope I don't, but small isolated tribes in the African rainforest who are better hunters than anyone else, still do not openly confront creatures like that, for they know the animal is far stronger and wiser when it comes to stalking and hunting, and also braver, than they are. You can post arguments on here saying " yeah if I was oput in the middle of the rainforest I would carve out bamboos and make nice flint axes, make a shalter and scare away animals, woo hoo" but unless you have actually done thatm, not some silly training in the woods of California, then.. I don't know where I'm going with this, but those animals out there would be far superior to you.
I know some people will say that humans aren't animals but we are so deal with it!
Who the hell said that? They deserved to be slapped for that idiocy.
Anyway, what separates humans from animals is mostly our level of intelligence. We not only make and use tools, but we use them to an extent that's greater than an other animal that makes or uses tools.
It's because I respect religion, and I actually do like most of them. I just often don't like the religious for how they adulterate the words. On paper Christianity is almost perfect, when applied you see the natural faults, and so many more.
Which consequences are you talking about?...they don't necessarily have similar consequences for their actions since they typically have different reasoning behind it. I think it's more that humans are willing to engage in inherently violent acts without necessary/needed benefits that outweigh the consequences and do so more for self-pride and such. Am I on the same track?