Can you give me your opinion?

Question

“The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot.” - Mark Twain

What did he mean by this? I'd like to compare my interpretations.

Thanks :)

"What separates "man" from "animals?" is quite a popular questions, that has been asked many times, and the answers always seem to come out the same...

“...opposable thumbs...”
“...our ability to invent and think...”
“...the ability to love...”
“...etc...”
...etc.

Here, it seems as though Mark Twain has given us HIS answer.

We use "animals" as such a negative term, like...
"You’re such an animal"
"You weren't raised in a barn..."
"You’re eating like a pig..."
"You’re arguing like dogs..."
"You look like a monkey..." (j/k)

but what I think Twain is basically saying is... because we are able to decipher right from wrong... or at least we all have the capability to.... and still manage to f*ck up sometimes, especially on purpose, makes us the “superior” creatures.

Most of Man’s actions are based on feelings... not instincts

Whereas, in comparison, animal’s actions are based on instinct and “fighting for survival”... not malicious tendencies

CONTINUED...

...

*** I appreciate what Twain is saying, and I actually really like this quote, but I don’t necessarily agree “whole-heartedly” with what he’s saying, there’s always an exception, but the question is not whether or not I agree...***

Thanks for “responses” ...now, let me know what ya’ll think is the best interpretation of this quote.

Thanks :)

Answer 1

I think it means that people are who they are, and that even though we are smart and good at lots of things, we still mes up and make mistakes just like creatures that arnt as smart as us.
what do you think?

Answer 2

I think it means that even though people know right from wrong people choose to do wrong at somtimes which makes us worse than creatures that dont know right from wrong. Because if they dont know right from wrong then they arent doing anything wrong in the first place.
Hope I could help,
Eva

Answer 3

He is saying that, man Freely Chooses to do Wrong even though man KNOWS what is right and wrong. He is saying, yes, Mankind is smartest, but what does that get us? Murderers and Thieves. Man may be intelligent, but that doesnt make them right. It is a degrading quote that, overall, lowers mankinds standing in relation to animals. They dont understand right from wrong, so cant be expected to differentiate. Mankind DOES understand, but why dont they care?

Answer 4

I think it means we have a gift no other living organism possesses in our ability to make responsible choices, but having our gift takes away our ability to do wrong in innocence.

Answer 5

that just by knowing what's good from wrong makes us superior and smarter than other creatures like animals, but the fact that we do bad things knowing that they are bad makes us inmoral because animals kill their preys and stuff becuz that's their nature and dont know better, us humans that know better kill steal and do bad things knowing that they are wrong.