Do you consider humans to be animals or are we so special that this term is ok for bears and dogs but not us?

Question

We are not plants, vegetables or fruits, not totally mineral in origin but like the other animals that inhabit the earth we breathe, eat, sleep and have sex leading to survival of the species. Yet, why is it that we do not call ourselves animals? We are just a mere jump in evolution from the caveman but for some reason we don't like the term animal. One animal characteristic is that we eat meats or vegetables and fruits, we do this. We protect our young, we communicate, and we are sexually active. Are we not animals? And are not certain members of our group not more animalistic than others, we call them animals more frequently because they cannot manage to avoid sexual activity we call rape or sexual predators.

Answer 1

We are animals, you bet. We breathe and eat and sleep and breed just like bears and dogs.

Answer 2

We don't call ourselves animals because there is one thing above all that we THINK seperates us from animals. Our spirituality. We have our gods, we try to give ourselves purpose because we think we are better, and we are scared. We are so scared to be just animals. We want to be special and have meaning. We challenge ourselves with these religions, denying ourselves our animal instincts and declaring some of them sins so that we can seperate ourselves from our animal instincts. Yes we have found civilization and our brains have developed, we have reached the top of the food chain and made great developements but I think we are still animals.

It is a proven fact that dolphins and I think orangutans have self- awareness, they can look into mirrors and know that it is themself that they are looking at and not another animal. So we call them smart. We are constantly finding communication between animals that we never would have guessed before. We are not the only special and amazing creatures on this earth.

Answer 3

You did ask what did we "CONSIDER" humans to be. The word consider is defined as think, believe, or regard as. I suppose it is an individual issue and could be discussed for years on end and probably come out the same today as it would 100's of years from now. Everyone will know at some level in their lifetime I am sure. Remembering one important thing. Animals make choices and humans must also. Humans should always be respecting themselves and the rights of others over their sense of need for comfort or pleasure. That makes us decision makers and somewhat different than the impulsiveness of animals.

Answer 4

Some people are animals, but without any word play, very honestly, look into the eyes of an animal and then look into the eyes of a human, you will see the difference. everything alive consumes something, excretes something else and has a means of reproduction, that's just life, but are there any animals out their creating tools, appliance, language, barter systems, Animals definitely have their ways of communicating, their mating rituals, there clever homes, but there is a difference, they do what they do instinctively, we do not. We create, we make art, write stories, sing songs, we philosophize and rationalize, we really can't be considered animals in all fairness, and at the end of the day, if you have looked into the unreasoning eyes of a wild animal then into a humans eyes, you will see the difference.

Answer 5

If scientist can admit finally that dolphins have their own language then they have the ability to define their world around them in their own tongue. Consequently, since we do not know the nature of dolphins mentality or any other things for that matter, all humans must admit ourselves to the animal community.
Most of the sentaments to seperate humans from the other animals stem from misconstrued christian or monotheistic views. remember that islam and christianity share jewish tradition, especially the creation myth. Consequently, when adam named all the animals of the earth and became lord over them the three main monotheistic religious groups,excluding the sects of each that disagreed, have preached the questioned reality.

Answer 6

We use the world animal in different ways, sometimes we mean brute which means driven by impulse in ways that are not prudent in a broader perspective (though we are often this we are not universally this).

Another sense is taxomincally, we are partof the phyllum cordata, we are part of the family primate etc. and the kingdom we're part of is animals as opposed to the fungus kingdom or something like that.

Answer 7

(^.^) its purely superficial. The hair overlaying isn't inevitably over the entire physique which would be seen 10 ft away and as properly the apes people are the only species that don't walk on all 4. could we classify ourselves like this to be particular? i do no longer think of so, yet perchance its because of the fact we kill one yet another that being categorized as an animal could be offensive to the animal kingdom.

Answer 8

We are animals irrespective of how we look at it or where people think we come from - we are from the same family as the the rest of the **** erectus species - some of us just have more intelligence that is the only difference.

Answer 9

We ARE animals with an ego problem. So let's not flatter ourselves. ( I have seen animals with more humanity than some humans-that is compassion, empathy, love etc.).

Answer 10

We are mammals, like some other animals.