02-04-2003 03:50									#1
	What makes us human? Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

As opposed to an animal?

Whether you assume we were created by God, or evolved from animals... what makes us distinct from them?

Or probably the best would be your perceived "most important" distinction... tick few if you cannot decide.

Last edited by OneFootInTheGrave on 02-04-2003 at 04:13

	02-04-2003 04:13									#2
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who's human? I'm a giant banana slug.

	02-04-2003 04:18									#3
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I chose logic, abstract thinking and communication.

	02-04-2003 04:22									#4
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There are many things that make us different compared to other animals, but that is by defintion true of all species.

The complexity of our brain is what makes us the dominant species. Everything else flows from that (language, logic etc...). Other animals have these abilities, just not as refined as ours.

	02-04-2003 04:22									#5
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Not much of a surprise, but I vote:

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Which I suppose counts as soul.

	02-04-2003 04:33									#6
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This is a trick question because all those attributes can also be found in an animal or a computer.

	02-04-2003 04:35									#7
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quote: What makes us human?

The ability to ask, and attempt to answer, that question.

	02-04-2003 04:37									#8
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Well a computer could have a more complex "mind" soon... as for animals they could as well have souls

'

one thing that appears that only humans have from the above is the sense of supernatural ...

	02-04-2003 04:38									#9
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vet, when are animals creative without human prodding, when are computers logical without human prodding, whens the last time you saw an animal and a computer debate ayn rand?

	02-04-2003 04:43									#10
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Animals can be creative without humans - they learn stuff, like new feeding grounds, how to sort out physical obstacles ..etc...

computers on the other hand could/are pushed towards creativity/randomness call it what you like with advances in AI.

	02-04-2003 04:46									#11
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One foot, actually instinct to adapt wouldnt really what i would consider creative.

its the fact that we use our creativity to do things that arent related to our survival which is what i find astounding

	02-04-2003 04:49									#12
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Slef preservation does not separate us from the beast, nor do the means by which it is accomplished. What separates us is the will, or reasons why, we chose to do so, or in some cases chose not to do so...

	02-04-2003 05:02									#13
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As opposed to being an animal?
That's one of the main things that makes us human.

	02-04-2003 05:03									#14
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well it is not always just instinct... I am sure that the plays that dolphins have or some other animals that just bind their time could be classed as creativity. And as far as I have watched they have some sort of better communication between themselves too...

	02-04-2003 05:13									#15
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i voted art, more specifically, jewellry, face painting etc. the ability to understand how others percieve us

	02-04-2003 05:39									#16
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Philosophy and art is how I voted. Let them chimps try to direct a movie! wait, that might be a cool film to see....

	02-04-2003 06:26									#17
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Our inability to react instinctively to the submission response.

Our ability to question our own existence.

Our ability to project and plan for the future.

Our mismanagement of the environment.

Empathetic projection.

	02-04-2003 06:33									#18
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quote: Originally posted by molly bloom Our mismanagement of the environment.

That's only because there are more of us than any other similar sized animals.

	02-04-2003 06:53									#19
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Its funny how you phrased the banana option because its true.

In my genetics class I learned that we share over 50% genetic similarity from a bananana. Apparrentlya genetic information to create a banana isnt too far from creating a complex being like us.

So I was forced to vote for the banana... even though I was serious about it. The option had a very very good arguement.

	02-04-2003 06:56									#20
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who the hell is voting for 'soul'? the other options encompass the notion anyway

	02-04-2003 07:00									#21
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quote: Originally posted by MRT144 One foot, actually instinct to adapt wouldnt really what i would consider creative. its the fact that we use our creativity to do things that arent related to our survival which is what i find astounding

ever seen a chimp use a narrow stick to lure ants into the stick and lick it off?

Or how about a bird that fishes using a piece of bread?

	02-04-2003 07:02									#22
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thats not art creative. creating visual or musical things for the sake of itself is something animals dont do.

	02-04-2003 07:05									#23
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quote: Originally posted by Big Crunch There are many things that make us different compared to other animals, but that is by defintion true of all species. The complexity of our brain is what makes us the dominant species. Everything else flows from that (language, logic etc...). Other animals have these abilities, just not as refined as ours.

Intelligence:
Thats not true. My bio professor told me once that dolphins have a brain thats FAR more complex than ours. If you think about it, it makes sense that a dolphin would be alot smarter than some retarded cave man.

Language:
There are so many organism that are far better at communicating than us. Just look at me and my ex-girlfriend.... Its really not a good example of good communication in its prime.


Only reason why I see humans being dominant is because of thier thumbs and an ability to preserve their communication, which gives them an unequal ability compared to other organism.

	02-04-2003 07:14									#24
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quote: Originally posted by MRT144 thats not art creative. creating visual or musical things for the sake of itself is something animals dont do.

ok somethign i missed from ur statement before is somethign creative "that has nothign to do with our survival".

You're right though. I cant think of one. Now its bothering me. Can animals create something creative for sake of itself?

	02-04-2003 07:25									#25
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quote: Originally posted by MRT144 thats not art creative. creating visual or musical things for the sake of itself is something animals dont do.

	02-04-2003 07:29									#26
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We deliberately create or do things harmful or counterproductive to ourselves.

(fast food, birth control, sarcasm, and nuclear weapons spring to mind)

Lemmings jump off cliffs, but we've taken it to the next level

	02-04-2003 07:29									#27
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quote: Originally posted by MRT144 thats not art creative. creating visual or musical things for the sake of itself is something animals dont do.

Many birds make ornamental nests. Some sing and dance, too.

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are other animals that are artistic aswell.

	02-04-2003 07:31									#28
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quote: [SIZE=1] Originally posted by Six Thousand Lemmings jump off cliffs

Actually, they're thrown off by movie producers.

	02-04-2003 08:04									#29
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The fact we can do/have all of the above while still being a single animal species *is* rather impressive...

	02-04-2003 08:24									#30
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One of the best summaries I've ever heard is along the lines of "the ability to tell a story":

you come across a set of animal tracks in front of you, and you realize that at some point in the past an animal walked by, and at some point in the future at the other end of the tracks you will find the animal, or at least where the animal last was (perhaps before being eaten by another predator). From one piece of physical evidence, we are able to in effect predict the future, and share that news with others. It is not the same as following a scent, which is basically a string of physical evidence, it is an abstraction based on past experience. I dont think this makes us any more suited than any other creature to try and rule the earth however