What separates us (Homo Sapiens) from the animals?

[Wooden shoe]

A couple of points.

Speech is not unique to humans, just think of whales and dolphins, their method of communication carries farther than human speech, it is suited to their needs.

Playing games is also done by animals, for instance I had a cat who developed a ball kicking and chasing game by himself.

I believe the unique feature of humans is to modify its environment, which is a good thing because we just don't have much else in our favor. Our hearing, sight taste feeling and voice are rather mediocre compared to animals, we are not the fastest, strongest most agile form of life, just the smartest,although even that is in question sometimes.

Just one more. Humans are the only species able to eliminate itself.

Regards, John.

[Sacrontine]

I believe the unique feature of humans is to modify its environment, which is a good thing because we just don't have much else in our favor. Our hearing, sight taste feeling and voice are rather mediocre compared to animals, we are not the fastest, strongest most agile form of life, just the smartest,although even that is in question sometimes.

Man you should see a beaver at work I mean just give them a few weeks they turn acres of forest into swampland. Anyway if you are looking for exceptional skills there is actually plenty to choose from for example we are one of the best marathon runners in the animal kingdom we can throw stuff further than any other animal we got unmatched finger dexterity also we are very good at tasting rot or poison in food. Then of course you can get specific: we are hands down the best automobile drivers on earth and we can use knife and fork like it's nobodies business.

But really it is all pointless. Humans are already special just like every animal species is special after all that is what makes them a species.

[Philosophy Explorer]

Wooden Shoe said:

"Playing games is also done by animals, for instance I had a cat who developed a ball kicking and chasing game by himself.

I believe the unique feature of humans is to modify its environment, which is a good thing because we just don't have much else in our favor. Our hearing, sight taste feeling and voice are rather mediocre compared to animals, we are not the fastest, strongest most agile form of life, just the smartest,although even that is in question sometimes."

I'm very well aware of the playful nature of animals from watching Funniest Pets and People

It makes me wonder why human intelligence went up, but other capabilities declined?

PhilX

[Obvious Leo]

It makes me wonder why human intelligence went up, but other capabilities declined?

"The survival value of human intelligence has never been satisfactorily demonstrated"....Michael Crichton

I believe the unique feature of humans is to modify its environment,

Although we share this talent with a number of other organisms, there's no doubt we have developed this capacity to an entirely new level, in evolutionary terms. So much so that the entire biological future of the planet will be ours to decide. This makes us unique, and we are also unique in that we can look beyond our planetary boundary and contemplate the possibility of living elsewhere in our galaxy.

Regards Leo

[Philosophy Explorer]

Hi Leo,

You said:

"Philosophy Explorer wrote: I believe the unique feature of humans is to modify its environment,..."

It was John Wooden who wrote the statement which I'm in accord with.

PhilX

[Jklint]

I believe the unique feature of humans is to modify its environment, which is a good thing because we just don't have much else in our favor.

Just one more. Humans are the only species able to eliminate itself.

Regards, John.

We are clearly unique enough to do that but are we unique enough not to eliminate ourselves in the process. After all, we've been so successful at with other species.

[Obvious Leo]

We are clearly unique enough to do that but are we unique enough not to eliminate ourselves in the process. After all, we've been so successful at with other species.

Give us time. We've only just begun.

[Atreyu]

Although we share this talent with a number of other organisms, there's no doubt we have developed this capacity to an entirely new level, in evolutionary terms. So much so that the entire biological future of the planet will be ours to decide. This makes us unique, and we are also unique in that we can look beyond our planetary boundary and contemplate the possibility of living elsewhere in our galaxy.

True, but I think we can "hone in" some more concerning this issue. Why does homo sapiens alone have this capacity on an "entirely new level"? What you say is quite obvious, but the underlying faculty which enables all that is hardly as obvious (hence this thread).

It appears to me that the underlying faculty which we possess which no other species does, and which enables us to have this greatly enhanced ability to survive, is the ability of our awareness to reflect on itself or turn in on itself. This ability leads to all the other psychological qualities which we possess but which other animals do not --- reason, complex language, understanding, analysis, considering, pondering, wondering, self-dialogue. Without the ability of our awareness to "reflect on itself" all of these other attributes would be impossible.

Thought is basically talking to oneself, and this ability hinges on awareness being able to divide itself, which is what necessarily must happen when awareness reflects on itself. If an awareness has the ability to see itself this implies that it is no longer a singularity but must be composed of at least two parts, because a singular awarness by definition could not do this. There must be one part observing the other. A unified awareness entirely focused on the outside world (all other species) cannot reflect on itself, cannot observe itself, and therefore also cannot talk to itself about its world.

[Fernike]

Hi to all,

I didn't read all posts under this topic but just searched for "heidegger" and couldn't find any. So I'd like to share this with you and get your opinions on it:

I'm a very novice reader of Heidegger (and any philosophy at all) but as I understand Heidegger makes a very brilliant differentiation between "human" and "being":

Human (Homo sapiens) is some'thing' such as a cat, a horse or simply a hammer. It's something we use, such as we use a hammer.

Being of ourselves, on the other hand, is not a "thing" firstly. It's an "activity" instead. An activity that is there because of "the world". The world which includes homo sapiens, cats, horses, hammers, etc.

When I try to see myself as an activity instead of a separate thing, I find easier to separate "homo sapiens" from "myself"

What do you think?

[Lacewing]

Human (Homo sapiens) is some'thing' such as a cat, a horse or simply a hammer. It's something we use, such as we use a hammer.

Being of ourselves, on the other hand, is not a "thing" firstly. It's an "activity" instead. An activity that is there because of "the world". The world which includes homo sapiens, cats, horses, hammers, etc.

Hi Fernike. I'm not familiar with Heidegger, but the concept described above rings true for me. Some friends and I were just discussing the difference between the human body (vehicle/mechanism) and that which seems to animate and operate through it within this world (which provides all the conditions to make it possible in this particular way). Seeing our "being" (in this world) as "activities" simply operating through these "human things", helps (perhaps) to loosen our grip on the idea of some total package that we think we are.

My answer to the question "What separates us (Homo Sapiens) from the animals?":

We think we're uniquely important.

[Misty]

Is it being able to decide from more than two choices? Our ability to think abstractly? The way our hands are structured to better handle tools? The ability to talk? Is it our ability to love?

What have you to say about all this (and more)?

PhilX

I think discernment of knowledge may be what separates humans from animals. but then animals discern their unique knowledge of their world. (when to go for the prey and when to abandon pursuit) This article says it is imagination and the ability to share and consider all human imagination.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_an ... n_and.html

[Michaelpearson]

Space separates us. And the strangely pronounced ability that we aquire in childhood of being conscious of ourselves being conscious of that which we conscious of. And, perhaps our marked awareness that the day will arrive when we die usually without knowing when that day might be. And human physiognomy is most distinct (as if something, whatever it might be, is coming into sharp focus, definition and resolution). And the range of mental illnesses suffered seems to be far more limited within the kingdom of the animals. But we (humans) are all part of the natural world- the natural order of things- although, with all our techno(logical) gizmos of virtual communication (and this, that and the other) it can be all too easy to forget that we humans are fundamentally and essentially natural beings.

[Wizard]

Nothing, most "humans" are animals.

Only a rare few can call ourselves other than, greater than, or "above" a simple animal.

[Misty]

Nothing, most "humans" are animals.

Only a rare few can call ourselves other than, greater than, or "above" a simple animal.

Who discerns the animals from the humans who are "greater than?" Do you have any examples of "greater than" humans?

[Wizard]

Who discerns the animals from the humans who are "greater than?"

We do.

Do you have any examples of "greater than" humans?

The gods.