Humans are Animals; Every day the gap gets narrower

Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago to Science
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When I was a child (forever ago), there were a number of fallacies purveyed regarding animals, most of which have been proven completely false:
- Animals can't reason (false)
- Humans are the only animals that kill/murder each other (false)
- Animals can't talk (false)
- Animals can't count (false)
- Animals don't have emotions (false)
on and on...
Of course the animals don't have souls argument, but that is irellevant, since no one knows if humans do either.
Arguably, these false assertions were motivated to "elevate" humans, perhaps sometimes to justify human uses for animals such as food.

However, every day tests are conducted demonstrating that animals have practically every cognitive capability humans have, generally to a lesser degree.

Not being a an expert in this field myself, the one area I recall that has not been shown in animals is "episodic memory", the specific recall of previous events. It is distinguished from learned behavior, which is the integral of prior events. I suspect this will be established in animals eventually as well.

I assert no change in our general behavior towards animals as a conclusion, but that our arrogance should be dropped yet another peg.

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  • Posted by ewv 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Essential distinguishing characteristic does not mean "magic". The difference between rational, conceptual thinking and the lower animals, including a "carefully trained dog", is not just a degree of "more cognitive ability".
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I agree with your first statement. Unless we watched evolution, it must be true.

    However, people argued against evolution some 100x years ago; people argued animals differed from humans because they lacked souls; people tried to set themselves apart (elevate themselves) in almost every way, except the meaningful one you mention.
    I assert the meaningful difference you mention is a discrimination, not due to a fundamental, magical difference, but that we simply have far more cognitive ability than other animals, from brain size and brain evolution. If a dog had a 3 lb brain, and was carefully trained, it would be capable of some pretty sophisticated thinking.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    "It is the essential, distinguishing characteristic separating 'rational animal' from the rest of the genus 'animal'."
    [Lowbrow humor]Maybe Denis Leary's observations that animals cannot shave their scrotum is a subset of that.[/Lowbrow humor]

    [Nit]Isn't it the animal kingdom, not genus. [/Nit]
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  • Posted by ewv 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The 'gap' between humans and lower animals is not becoming narrower. Humans have the unique capacity of rational, conceptual thought as our means of survival. Lower animal primitive 'reasoning', i.e., problem solving and 'counting' is nothing like human reason. It is the essential, distinguishing characteristic separating 'rational animal' from the rest of the genus 'animal'.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 6 years, 10 months ago
    I completely agree with this post, but the your list of things the people say only humans can do reminds me of Denis Leary's crass suggestions of activities peculiar to humans in Save This. https://youtu.be/KzafcXatMt0
    I find it hilarious but nothing related to serious commentary on human uniqueness.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    It was really tough for me too, but I did it, I did the strict diet for a year! Then adopted the Genotype diet; which brought back a few things to eat that I liked.
    It was well worth it, many aggravating symptoms I've always had went away for good! Haven't had, so much as a cold for 25 years now...if only I knew about this 30 years ago, I would still have my thyroid...doctors were WRONG! all I had to do is change my diet, no more hyperactivity and No more speeding tickets...
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Excellent way of putting it. Perhaps managing our basic impulses using rationality is a measure of success as humans. Sounds a little like Vulcans, but eliminating all impulses is not the same as managing them to suit us.
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  • Posted by Owlsrayne 6 years, 10 months ago
    It seems that man has a hard time rising above his basic rational level. there are a few men and women who try to rise to the level of the characters in Ayn Rand's novels. There are so few in the US and the world to make a true difference. Cruelty in the name of a religion, philosophy, greed and supposed political power seems to be rampant in today's world. When my wife hears this stuff on the television the constant statement she makes is "The Whole World Is Insane". I'm beginning to agree with her!
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  • Posted by term2 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Dogs have owners; cats have staff. I am permitted to feed sematary, “my” cat, so long as i procure the approved wet food and keep the dry food dish full as a reserve
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  • Posted by ewv 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The lower animals cannot think in concepts. Humans can, and must to live, though some have defaulted and trained themselves to avoid it beyond a minimum. See Ayn Rand's articles on what she called the "anti-conceptual mentality" -- "The Missing Link" and the "Selfishness without a Self"-- in Philosopophy Who Needs It.
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  • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The first chapter or two of arthur c clarke 2001 a space odyssey is compelling in a lot of ways.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That is probably true of bees, and a good assertion of the overzealous motives of certain communities. I do question 1) the fundamental relative difference between humans and other animals constituents, and 2) the likely non-linear inflection point in the fundamental capabilities and what we see as a result.
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  • Posted by ewv 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Humans are not a "version" of animals. Man is the "rational animal", distinguished from the rest of the genus by his rational, conceptual faculty. Who ever said that man is not "animal" biologically? Usually when someone calls us "animals" it is meant in a disparaging way to mean that we are no better than lower animals, as in non-thinking brutes.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Do you really “have” the cat?

    Kidding. Those things can be quite the independent pain, but I had a great one that would fetch.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    We have a diabetic serivce dog. That dog has some kind of nose, but he is not quite as philanthropic as your examples.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Seems like evidence that humans respond to basic rewards, just like animals, and just as Ayn asserts society benefits from.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 6 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    At least this opinion is not bound up in control, power and arrogance. It is simply an honest assertion of a view, without the logical connectivity that might be present.
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