wut do you think separates humans from everything/everyone else?

Question

wut do you think makes a human a human? i think its more than physical it also has to do with our cultures and our minds. wut makes us different from neanderthals who were also part of the "homo" genus? interesting thought, huh?

Answer 1

In looking over the answers you have recieved so far, I see a lot of partial truths and misunderstandings -

Phyiscally - the differences are easy to see - mostly in the skull. The basic "Antrhopoid" form, inlcuding opposable thumbs is present in all primates and apes.

The major post cranial (below the head) difference between humans and other primates is our ability to walk upright - evidence suggets that this trait was well established by 3.5 million years ago (Australopithecus afarensis - "Lucy") and possibly as far back as 6-8 million (Orrorin tugonesis). Evidence for bipedalism (walking on two legs) includes fossilized footprints, and a knee joint with a particular angle (unique to bipedal creatures) that date to around the 3.5 million mark. Other evidence for bipedalism (and something that differentiates humans from other living apes) is the location of the foramen magnum - the large hole at the base of the skull where your spinal cord enters the skull. In Bipedal creatures the hole is under the center of hte skull, while in Apes it is more toward the back.

All of this, including approximately modern body dimensions were established by the time of Homo erectus (2 million) and a neandertal wearing a hat could probably walk into your classroom and not even be noticed - just look like a football player. His/her facial features would be a bit different (longer and wider nose, no chin, large brow ridges, protusion at the back of the skull (Occipital bunning), but overall - a modern person.

With regard to language and culture - all primates have some form of culture - that is learned behavior passed from generation to generation. This is evidenced by studies that have shown monkey troops of the same species in the same area can have different ways of accomplishing the same task - ways that they have learned from their parents. Likewise they all have some form of vocal communication - though much less sophistictated than ours (apparently). Fossil evidence suggests that human ancestors had the necessary vocal morphology for complex speech as much as 150,000 years ago (enlarged hypoglossal canal - carried nerves to manipulate the tongue; and modern hyoid bone - where the tounge attaches).

Studies of various types of apes have even shown that they have the rudimentary ability to acquire human language - not spoken language since they do not have the proper morphology - but they have been able to learn and use sign language and other visual based communication skills (shapes, button on a machine, etc.)

We also know that many other primates use tools, especially apes. Chimps have been seen to create new tools for specific purposes - manipulating items they find in the environemnt until they can complete a specific task (leaves turned into sponges, sticks shaped to allow them to "fish" for termites, etc.

The ultimate difference between humans and other animals is our dependence on language, culture and tools to survive. while other species may exhibit abilties to utilize all of these, they can exist without them. However, humans have "evolved" to a point where if you take away these things, it is unlikely that we would be able to survive. Our reliance on the ability to think abstractly is the biggest diffference.

DM

Answer 2

Humans are a genus of hominids distinct from other animals more by degree than by quality, except insofar as quantitative differences create qualitative ones, which does occur in at least one respect, which I describe as follows:

Humans are the first species evolved on Earth having the ability to study the past in order to predict possible futures. We are the only animal with a sufficiently developed consciousness to look above the natural struggle for existence and mastery, to see the glories or the tragedies that could come to our world one day. And we can estimate how our actions can assist in the realization of any of these possible futures, and so we can each act in accordance with the future which we each prefer.

Controlling other people's power to choose among futures is a conspicuous human activity.

The word "human" gets overused as an umbrella term which is meant to categorize the several races of extant hominids together; i.e., to obscure the fact that they are several and different. The physical difference that made the difference in human potentials possible was an increase in brain size. Throughout the animal kingdom, and within the hominid family, there is a strong correlation between intelligence and the brain-to-body mass ratio. Some of the races called human have higher ratios than other races do, and so, consistent with the correlation, basic differences in intelligence exist between the races as well.

So, yes, "humans" are different from other animals in the extent of the evolution of the brain and its potentialities. But, also, the several races of humans also differ with each other in that same respect.

The racial egalitarians promote the falsehood that this difference does not exist, often using the jingoistic slogan "there is only one race, the human race." If Neanderthal or Australopithecus robustus or the extinct dwarf Homo erectus of prehistoric Indonesia were alive today, the racial egalitarians would claim that they were "fully human," but because they are extinct, hence of no political utility to leftists, the racial egalitarians are able to see them as the separate species which they truly are.

Answer 3

As far as Neanderthals, recent DNA studies have concluded that we are of no "relation" to them. Our ancestors, the Homo Sapiens, existed around the same time as the Neanderthal, and are believed to be the cause of the Neanderthals' demise.

The thing that sets us, as Humans apart from other animals is a highly evolved brain which enables us to communicate our ideas and feelings to other humans, which enabled us to build societies, cultures, and belief systems.

Something you might find interesting though, is a primate species called the Bonobo aka Pygmy Chimpanzee. Studies have shown these Chimps as having the ability to communicate vocally and through facial gestures.

Two Bonobos' were actually taught a vocabulary of 400 words and have shown the ability to respond to spoken sentences.

Sadly, their numbers have been diminishing due to Poachers and loss of their habitat.

You can find more information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonobo#Closeness_to_humanity

Given a few million years, through evolution, we may no longer be the only form of "intelligent life" on Planet Earth, given that Humans still exist at all..

Answer 4

We are physically the same as other animals at least as far as the chemistry goes. What sets us apart from other living animals is the degree that our minds have developed to solve problems and use language. It is only speculation on how well developed any particular ancestor or close relative was. I think that the rapid evolution was greatly accelerated by our aggressive tendencies.

It seems that most anthropologists like to think of us as cooperative and don't like to look at our universal warlike tendencies in any positive light. That is how humans have been expanding their territory since history began and I think it started long before that. That may be what drove our rapid evolution more than any other reason and neatly explains why all the other hominids have probably gone extinct. (Just my opinion)

Answer 5

Different from Neanderthals: Pre-frontal cortex
Thinner bones

That's basically it.

Not much, actually. I mean, apes have politics. If an ape wants to go get support to go hunt for fruit, he'll go and scream at his reflection in a pond. All the other apes will see him and mimic him, and then when they're all fired up, they go hunt for fruit. Apes also use tools.

I'd say it's our capacity for art. We are capable of making things that are aesthetically pleasing, and individualising our possessions. As far as I know, no other animal does that.

I know that an ape may put things in a certain pattern, but I don't think that qualifies as art.

Answer 6

Hi there!

We can describe many features that make us stand out as human beings... our level of development (evolution) and comlexity reached in the intellectual, emotional, and even physiological spheres distinguishes us from the rest.

However, I think the most striking difference between humans and other life forms is the ability to act against the laws of nature, to "swim upstream"... we have developed a consciousness, a series of complex values able to contrast the laws of nature related to the egotistical drive of self-survival and preservation of the spieces... humans will endure pain or suffering for a higher benefit, will dedicate or even give up their lives for a higher value than survival: charity workers, missionaries, martyrs, social activists...

Of course, I'm talking about the BEST of us - perhaps, most of us are often less than human after all...

Hugs from Italy.

Answer 7

The ability to reason and be creative is what defines humans from other animals. Although Neanderthals were not homo-sapeins, they were able to reason and create tools, but scientists believe they were wiped out by cro-magnon man, or the two species may have melded through generations of breeding.

Answer 8

I've had this discussion recently with a coworker and I looked at it from a religious standpoint. It can be argued that we are different because of our soul, but then again how do we know an animal doesn't have a soul. Animals have feelings, but just because you have feelings, doesn't mean you have a soul. What is a soul? lol. If it's something you cannot prove, then I guess you cannot say for sure it exists and this argument is done. I dunno i'm confusing myself already.

Answer 9

The second answer demonstated that language does not separate us from other species such as Neanderthals and perhaps H. heidelbergensis and H. erectus. The only thing that separates are very small distinctions in our skull such as our brow ridge and chin as well as very minute changes in the DNA.

Answer 10

It's our cultures off course, as for neanderthals; they were unable to evolve speech due to different formation of their voice organs...Basically it's the possibility of communication that forms human being and human culture...communication is everything !