Given that humans are meat...?

Question

We humans have placed ourselves on a pedestal, we are the greatest things on the planet.

But what is it that makes us so special? We are after all nothing but meat, flesh, bone, fluid. As evidenced by the fact that other animals can eat us, just the same as any other animal on this planet. Do we deserve this pedestal that we placed ourselves on since we are meat just like the animals. If we don't this bring into being serious questions, if we are just animals then to kill another human would be no more wrong then to hunt an animal; if we are just animals then to eat another human would be no great crime; etc.

What is it that makes us so special compared to the animals and why (please don't quote technological advancement as an example)?

What does this mean for us, our society and place on this planet?

Serious answers only please.

I thank you in advance for your insight.

Answer 1

What makes us special? How can we be sure we deserve this place on the pedestal?

One reason. We are the only judges of this! We think we are wonderful and top-o-the-heap, therefore, we are!

Some of us don't feel superior to other life forms though. We see value and precious purpose in all things, and we see our species as capable of tremendous good, but often producing great pain and destruction. Rather worthless creatures in a world full of selfless creatures.

And just because we aren't capable of understanding the speech/communication of other species doesn't make their communication any less refined or deeply thought out than our own, which many species seem to understand rather well, indicating that we are the less intelligent.

Sometimes, when stressed and the situation is unusual, humans do eat humans, bears eat bears and dogs eat dogs. But it isn't usual. We are all part of the "Whole", and act more alike than differently. But I am not sure what this idea has to do with the general concept of your question.

Answer 2

We are special because we say that we are special. The very fact that we can make a statement on the subject puts us above other animals. I have often held that animals could have all the rights and protections under the law, as soon as they ask for them. I'm not just talking about speech, but the communication of abstract concepts.

As for killing people being no different than killing other animals, i agree. But go into a lion's pride and stab one, the rest will tear you apart. That's exactly what happens when you commit murder. The rest of the human pack recognizes that you are a threat, and takes steps to remove you. The only difference is we usually don't eat you.

Answer 3

Intelligence, emotions, and organization (oddly).
If you follow some theistic religions, we are supposedly made in God's image (pretty funny, since we're so flawed). That is a bit species-centric, though.
If you follow evolution, as you seem to do, then our intelligence is what sets us apart. We have the ability to use tools and all sorts of fun, intellectual stuff.
We have emotions that most animals don't. We can act on our emotions and usually they get in the way. It sucks, but it's human.
The nature of the world is chaos. Everything goes towards it. We try to make order out of it. Someday, we might do it. Then we'll deserve our pedestal. And to ensure we get there, we can't resort to eating each other. We have to stay organized and focused.
Don't worry, we're only kidding ourselves with that progression-toward-order bit. We're doing nothing more than destroying the planet and all the creatures on it. We'll be forced to eat each other someday. Perhaps, if you're lucky, it will be in your lifetime.

Answer 4

Are you really just a piece of meat and nothing more? You talk more than most meat I've met, but if that's the end of your story then why don't you come over to my house; me and my family would love to have you for dinner.
We don't take this lightly. We thank God for each and every piece of food that comes across our table, be it animal, vegetable, or mineral. We recognize that something living had to give up its place in the world so that we could thrive, and we really feel quite special that we have been blessed in this way and that we are not sitting on some other family's dinner table instead.

Answer 5

we are only flesh yes, however we are the only animal that has the desire to worship something, since the beginning of man cave pictures display our desire to worship, Idols, Gods and even some worship themselves or sex. some species of animals , mammals do not eat their own kind, killer whales, orcas and others. so we are not the only ones who don't eat their own. also It should be a crime to eat each other, I think it is for our safety. we are special because we have the ability to reason deeply, to build much better than beavers and to understand the concept between right and wrong. Animals live off of instinct, we reason. Our place on this planet should be to use what we have to help the animals ourselves and each other.

Answer 6

Rather than reiterating what is in the following articles, I think you'd rather read them yourself ...

Humans-Who Are We?
- What Is the Purpose of Life?
- What We Believe Makes a DIfference
http://watchtower.org/e/19980622/article_01.htm

In the Image of God or Beast?
> Where We Differ From Animals
> A Gulf Too Wide To Bridge?
- A Shaky Theory
- Woeful Consequences
- Worship of the Creation or the Creator?
http://watchtower.org/e/19980622/article_02.htm

Looking Up --Not Down-- for Answers
- Animal Genes or Flawed Genes?
- Why We Don't Want to Die
- Made to Live Forever
- A New World Based on Love
- The Real Life (1Ti 6:12,19)
http://watchtower.org/e/19980622/article_03.htm

By the way, I Totally Agree with everything in them. They are based on the insight found in God's word, the Bible. I thank Him for His insight!

Answer 7

Cats are very complex creatures. In nature, they evolved by eating their prey in their entirety. A whole animal, like a mouse, bird or lizard contains many complex vitamins and minerals which cats require. Cat food does contain all the necessary ingredients that cats require. Unfortunately, the greed of the manufacturers causes them to add a lot of other junk (grains, chemicals, fillers, etc) that are bad for a cat. Feeding only flesh meat, although it is high quality protein, does not provide a cat with all its nutritional requirements. For this reason, it is better to feed a high quality canned food unless you really know what you are doing. For example, cooking food destroys many of its nutrients. Deli foods contain additives and preservatives which are just as bad as some commercial cat food. Fish is not an appropriate food for cats. Many flavorings that humans use to prepare their food can be dangerous in cats, like salt. Onion and garlic can kill a cat. A deficiency of taurine, found in organ meat, can lead to blindness.

Answer 8

The only thing that raises humans above "animals" is the fact that humans don't exist by instinct alone. Man has the capacity for thought. to have ideas and to act upon them. Lesser animals
can only react instinctively. Mans' ability to plan and to execute those plans put humans at the top of the food chain.

Answer 9

It's easy to say that we are dominant because of intellect, but I think we are just a next phase of evolution. We share many features other animals carry. The difference is brain to body ratio and the ability to "change the envioronment" instead of adpating to it or cheating ^_^. Oh and I don't think we really are that special. Given time we may fall off from "tripping" ourselves off along with everything else.

Answer 10

Laws against killing are a social agreement. This and other social agreements are observed in nature. Social agreements are an adaptation like any other defense mechanism in nature. While there may be no ethereal enforcer of morality, our survival depends on cooperation and security. That is why we should ACT like we are sacred, even though there is no such thing as sacred.

Pedestals are in the mind only.

Killing is a crime because the group says it is. Rightfully so.