Is Human a kind of animal?

[Valjean]

I don't think humans are animals, all though some seem to act like they are. And I think the main difference is, animal actions seems to be based on instincts, humans can act by reason.

How are you defining "animal?" By actions? By intellegence? By psychology?
Does someone with a brain injury or dementia cease to be human and become an animal?

"Animal" is almost always used in it's biological sense, defined by specific physical criteria. Do humans not fit the criteria?

 

[Valjean]

My best friend in high school used to say if God didn't want us to eat animals He wouldn't have made them out of meat.

People incapable of defending their position or seriously discussing it will often deflect with humor.

 

[Valjean]

One point of view out of many. Responsibility or stewardship would be a better way of saying it.

My religion states we have been chosen to take care of non-human animals, all other life and the earth itself. If we fail....we could be supplanted, remember the dinosaurs. Summum Vastator (The Many To The One) is counting on us doing our jobs.

The gods were torn on choosing insectoids or mammalians for the task, seeing how reptilians failed. Let's not make them regret their decision and the consequence for our failure. They will revert to believing insectoids were best for the task. Bugs aren't known for their compassion but are more efficient than humans or any other creature for that matter.

Life on Earth was doing swimmingly before humans began overrunning the planet. I think the ecosystem was better off without us.

 

[sun rise]

Well, I'm speaking as someone who has been in a relationship for more than 30 years, but I've never felt I need another person for my own validation.

My wife of 54 years is simply my best friend.

 

[Trailblazer]

Well, I'm speaking as someone who has been in a relationship for more than 30 years, but I've never felt I need another person for my own validation.

I do not think that everyone needs another person for validation. People get married and stay married for various reasons.
I never needed my husband for validation, but I felt I needed him for company and emotional support.

 

[Valjean]

I believe that humans are animals who have a rational soul. I believe that other animals have a spirit. I believe that both continue to exist after death.
I do not consider myself superior to other animals, only different.

The idea that humans are superior to other animals comes from scriptures that say thet humans were created in the image of God, so allegedly we have the potential to reflect the attributes of God, whereas other animals do not have that potential. That scripture is problematic for me as it is just a way of man exalting himself over other animals.

I think that the "idea" is rooted in our evolution. For millions of years we survived in small hunter-gatherer bands, usually according moral consideration only to fellow band members. There was no selective pressure to extend moral consideration to competitors for scarce resources. In fact, it was often advantageous to eliminate then, when possible.
Moreover, it was carnivory that got our species -- barely -- through the Pleistocene, in most places. We've physically adapted to omnivory.

 

[Trailblazer]

My wife of 54 years is simply my best friend.

My husband of 37 years was also my best friend until that ended abruptly last year.

 

[Whateverist]

My wife of 54 years is simply my best friend.

You got me beat. My wife and I just had our 40th earlier this month. Likewise a best friend first but also a great companion. As an added bonus I had an early interest in art and that has been her career, showing and teaching. It is nice when your partner gives you the chance to live vicariously paths you didn't emphasize yourself.

 

[Whateverist]

People incapable of defending their position or seriously discussing it will often deflect with humor.

It is also true that people incapable of empathizing with someone will challenge them to defend what they say as if everyone lives a life considered dispassionately based on evidence. Actually I don't think many do or should.

I never challenged him to defend his beliefs. Why would I do that? He was just a friend I did sports with outside of school. He never proselytized or invited me to his church.

 

[Whateverist]

Humans can act by reason, but some animals can also reason at a certain level.

I wonder if any other animal actually considers hypotheticals and weighs pros and cons. I suspect they size up most situations intuitively as we can and often do as well. Careful reason is expensive of time and effort, but when we go with intuition we're thinking with our whole brains and being.

 

[Trailblazer]

I wonder if any other animal actually considers hypotheticals and weighs pros and cons. I suspect they size up most situations intuitively as we can and often do as well. Careful reason is expensive of time and effort, but when we go with intuition we're thinking with our whole brains and being.

I don't think other animals act on intuition or weigh the pros and cons. I think they act primarily on their instincts.
When one of my cats gets hungry she goes to the dining room where she knows she will get fed if she stands there long enough!

 

[Whateverist]

I don't think other animals act on intuition or weigh the pros and cons. I think they act primarily on their instincts.
When one of my cats gets hungry she goes to the dining room where she knows she will get fed if she stands there long enough!

My hyper alert two year old herding dog is also very instinctual however we have gained delay in her impulses toward some targets like bikes and joggers. I may never know if she ever reaches that point for small kids who hop, squeal or spurt off suddenly - because I am loathe to find out she isn't. Apparently McNab dogs are not allowed to work stock until they are three, so maybe there'll be a breakthrough with more maturity? I can hope. But lots of dogs problem solve.

 

[Trailblazer]

My hyper alert two year old herding dog is also very instinctual however we have gained delay in her impulses toward some targets like bikes and joggers. I may never know if she ever reaches that point for small kids who hop, squeal or spurt off suddenly - because I am loathe to find out she isn't. Apparently McNab dogs are not allowed to work stock until they are three, so maybe there'll be a breakthrough with more maturity? I can hope. But lots of dogs problem solve.

I think dogs are better problem-solvers than cats and dogs are bred for certain purposes.

Dogs can also be trained to obey. I never saw a cat that was trainable. If a cat does not want to do something it is near impossible to get that cat to do it. It is a nightmare trying to groom all these Persian cats by myself. Sometimes I try to trick them with food but they figure out what I am doing pretty fast.

 

[Whateverist]

I think dogs are better problem-solvers than cats and dogs are bred for certain purposes.

Dogs can also be trained to obey. I never saw a cat that was trainable. If a cat does not want to do something it is near impossible to get that cat to do it. It is a nightmare trying to groom all these Persian cats by myself. Sometimes I try to trick them with food but they figure out what I am doing pretty fast.

Yeah I bet they do. The problem of keeping their calendar open for their own projects is one they are good at solving. You might say it is what comes naturally.

 

[Secret Chief]

I think dogs are better problem-solvers than cats and dogs are bred for certain purposes.

Dogs can also be trained to obey. I never saw a cat that was trainable. If a cat does not want to do something it is near impossible to get that cat to do it. It is a nightmare trying to groom all these Persian cats by myself. Sometimes I try to trick them with food but they figure out what I am doing pretty fast.

One of the many things I love about cats is how they can ignore you in such a way that it clearly communicates to you that they are ignoring you.

 

[1213]

How are you defining "animal?" By actions? By intellegence? By psychology?
Does someone with a brain injury or dementia cease to be human and become an animal?

I don't think human in any case becomes an animal.

"Animal" is almost always used in it's biological sense, defined by specific physical criteria. Do humans not fit the criteria?

If people make a criteria that fits to animals and humans, then it is so. I think it is wrong.

 

[1213]

Humans can act by reason, but some animals can also reason at a certain level.

How do you know that?

But the important point is that even though humans can act by reason, many humans act on their instincts, not their reason.
I believe that is the case because humans have an animal nature and a spiritual nature, and many humans choose to act on their animal nature.

If people choose so, it is then also based on some reason.

 

[1213]

Most of our actions are or behavior is still based on instinct.

Why should I believe that?

 

[1213]

So you think that they are trees?

No.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I don't think human in any case becomes an animal.

Of course not. It already is one.