Original Post
"Us" and "those other animals".
This will be a somewhat poorly structured thread - but whatever. This is sort of a split from puppy-throwing marine thread.
I want you guys and girls to provide me some qualities which you think make us fundamentally different from dogs, monkeys, dolphins and the like. You can spare me the obvious answers like "more brain power".
I also want you to account for why humans allegedly have "morality" while animals such as monkeys just have "social or anti-social behavior".
I want you guys and girls to provide me some qualities which you think make us fundamentally different from dogs, monkeys, dolphins and the like. You can spare me the obvious answers like "more brain power".
I also want you to account for why humans allegedly have "morality" while animals such as monkeys just have "social or anti-social behavior".
Reasoning doesn't necessarily mean pondering complex philosophical questions and constructing syllogisms.
Animals (smarter ones) use basic reasoning all the time. When they hunt, when they choose a place to build their nest, when they solve puzzles. Basically, they use reason in the same way an average human uses reason when he goes about his day.
reasoning
PS: Haven't read all of it modius, but i will tomorrow.
Animals (smarter ones) use basic reasoning all the time. When they hunt, when they choose a place to build their nest, when they solve puzzles. Basically, they use reason in the same way an average human uses reason when he goes about his day.
reasoning
PS: Haven't read all of it modius, but i will tomorrow.
Last edited by Odlov; Mar 14, 2010 at 02:51 AM.
Originally Posted by Galt
We have an enlightened sense of reason.
Other animals basic survival instinct is to either run or flee; fight or flight. They do either, regardless of reason. Mans basic survival instinct is to reason. Make of that what you will.
Man has the ability to control it's fear. Meaning he can do things other animals can't, i.e; create a fire.
Another major factor is that we are the only known self aware animal. We are aware of ourselves. This boils down to one of the three basic axioms, the objective axiom of consciousness of course.
Also, for you religious dumbarses, we were made in god's image. Animals weren't.
Cool story bro. Feel free to make more up while you're at it.
Man's basic instincts are to eat, fuck, strive for comfort, and nurture. Ergo, identical to most other mammals in the book.
Tell me: when an animal constructs a tool and uses it to extract something it needs, doesn't it use reason? (eg, it figures it needs something long and sharp, or hard and heavy, etc) Because even crows do that. Is building airplanes an instinct?
Another example of animal tool design.
As for self-awareness...
http://www.livescience.com/animals/0...nt_mirror.html
As for controlling fear...
Selflessness? No wai.
Creating fire requires the kind of motor skills and strength which no animals except humans and possibly some apes possess. Ever tried actually creating fire? With sticks? Not fun. Humans also didn't know how to create fire for a loooong time, nor did they know/see benefit of cooking food.
Last edited by Odlov; Mar 14, 2010 at 03:23 AM.
Originally Posted by Murmayder
Hitlers eradication of the Jews was not based on genetic mutations.
well that's totally irrelevant, since Jews were by no means the only target. Hitler was trying to 'purify' germany by eliminating anyone who had something wrong with them, such as disability etc. He was basically trying to artificially 'cleanse' the gene pool, not just kill people for lulz.
l2holocaust
Originally Posted by Odlov
This will be a somewhat poorly structured thread - but whatever. This is sort of a split from puppy-throwing marine thread.
I want you guys and girls to provide me some qualities which you think make us fundamentally different from dogs, monkeys, dolphins and the like. You can spare me the obvious answers like "more brain power".
I also want you to account for why humans allegedly have "morality" while animals such as monkeys just have "social or anti-social behavior".
For the second part:
I think "morality" is just a more extensive version of "social behavior".
"Morality" to me is a set of guidelines or social codes that people follow so that people act for the benefit of the whole group instead of just acting for the benefit of the individual, so that more of us can survive (or just so that the majority of peeps can be happy... I guess).
As for why we say morality instead of social behavior... Euphemism? We like to think we are superior to other creatures because we have more brain power? Ego etc... My brain hurts thinking about these things (x_x)
Last edited by scheczudio; Mar 18, 2010 at 11:07 AM.
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