Can chimps be people? We're 99.4% genetically similar to them. What do you think?

Question

What makes a person a person?

Communication? Chimps have to shown to use hand gestures. (Non-verbal communication)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6610447.stm

Tool use? Chimps use sticks to pry out insects and rocks to break open nuts.

Intelligence? Chimps can be smarter than mentally disabled people. (Sorry, a bit controversial but it's true)

Here's the philosophical definition of people: a self-conscious or rational being.

Answer 1

I can draw a sunset, play the piano, sing a song, do a complex Algebra problem, can think things through using logic, write a story, know right from wrong and SO MANY other things a chimp can't do...

And YOU might look like a chimp, but I sure as heck don't.

My dog knows what to do when I say "fetch", "no", "beg", "play dead" and "sit"... he knows how to open a door, and does it often... He will open the dog food cabinet at dinnertime and can howl amazingly distinctly "I love you"...
A very intelligent animal... and so is the chimp... but it ends there.

Answer 2

Mice are also about 90 some % genetically similar to humans as well. Could a mouse be a human? All this means is that somewhere along the line millions of years ago we had a common ancestor in the gene pool. Chimps will never be human and humans will never be chimps. We are similar but thats it.

Answer 3

Cubic Zirconium looks like a Diamond, but is not a Diamond. Chimps are Chimps, Humans are Humans. There is no relationship, even if there are similarities.

Answer 4

No. To me, what that statistic proves is that genetics is so awesomely complex that 1.6% accounts for the difference between a chimp and a human being.

Pigs are also genetically close to humans (forgive me, but I don't know the percentage...)

Answer 5

yes they could but chimps are also very dangerous and should not be allowed to roam freely with humans chimps are very strong and can kill a human in a matter of minutes with its hands thats why they are in common of the missing link

Answer 6

Depends on your definition of 'people' doesn't it?

I think the actual figure is 98 point something of their DNA is identical but nevertheless - I think there is a movement to make chimpanzees, it might be all great apes 'people' legally.

I think in the majority of cases it would lead to absurdities. Animal rights is admirable but lets not be silly.

Answer 7

Conformance to the definition of "person" makes one a person. Depends on what definition you use. If we use yours then almost all animals are likely persons.

Answer 8

I think you need to go back to science class and study the classification of animals.

Answer 9

That .6 percent represents 34,000 genes, of course, and much has to do with how those genes influence other genes.

Answer 10

if we evolved from them we would be able to reproduce with them, and that whole come from the monkey thing is the biggest crock that science has ever created.