What differentiates humans and animals?
Both have the same respiratory, digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems. Some say only man was blessed with wisdom, emotion, morality, personality….
I once attended a theology group with my church and the instructor said that animals do not appear to feel shame because they cannot see themselves as ‘being seen by another’.
Tell that to my miniature dachshund who hides under the kitchen table whenever she has had a potty accident.
Most philosophers and scientists have thought collaboratively that man and man alone is a rational animal. Man—the only creature able to do “forward” thinking. The only creature able to demonstrate compassion.
Forward thinking is the act of reasoning, which by definition means “motive”, “decision”, and “commitment” to do something versus instinct which is an “inborn pattern of behavior”.
They say every animal behavior is based on an instinct to survive and nothing more.
Animals harm each other only for the reasons of self defense, or they are protecting their territory which is a means of survival. Humans, supposedly the more intelligent “reasonable” higher beings, will kill each other over religion—or designer tennis shoes.
What about compassion? A classic study in 1964 found that hungry monkeys would not take food that had been offered if doing so meant that another monkey received an electric shock. A similar study demonstrated rats to behave the same—demonstrating compassion.
In this new world where divorced parents will emotionally, physically, and financially destroy each other out of jealousy and greed…. Or doctors and other people with specialized skills will deny services to the poor because they may not get their almighty dollar timely....
Who are the animals?
Who are the higher beings?
I once attended a theology group with my church and the instructor said that animals do not appear to feel shame because they cannot see themselves as ‘being seen by another’.
Tell that to my miniature dachshund who hides under the kitchen table whenever she has had a potty accident.
Most philosophers and scientists have thought collaboratively that man and man alone is a rational animal. Man—the only creature able to do “forward” thinking. The only creature able to demonstrate compassion.
Forward thinking is the act of reasoning, which by definition means “motive”, “decision”, and “commitment” to do something versus instinct which is an “inborn pattern of behavior”.
They say every animal behavior is based on an instinct to survive and nothing more.
Animals harm each other only for the reasons of self defense, or they are protecting their territory which is a means of survival. Humans, supposedly the more intelligent “reasonable” higher beings, will kill each other over religion—or designer tennis shoes.
What about compassion? A classic study in 1964 found that hungry monkeys would not take food that had been offered if doing so meant that another monkey received an electric shock. A similar study demonstrated rats to behave the same—demonstrating compassion.
In this new world where divorced parents will emotionally, physically, and financially destroy each other out of jealousy and greed…. Or doctors and other people with specialized skills will deny services to the poor because they may not get their almighty dollar timely....
Who are the animals?
Who are the higher beings?
If the world could understand this :(
ReplyDeleteHumans are animals, to deny this is silly. Yes, we have more cognizance and capacity for structure, but that does make our basic essence unique. Emotions are not our sole domain, dogs feel loneliness, happiness and empathy. They grieve, and they love. I wish most of us were as loyal and forgiving as a pooch is.
ReplyDeleteIt is okay to admit were an organism. There is no shame in it. I don't have to believe I am special, or that I am made in the image of some superior being. Most gods are made in man's image, not the other way around. I will not waste one second of my altogether short life worrying about Religion or what's going to happen to me after I die. Get real, I will no longer exist as an organism. Done deal.
Life is not a dress rehearsal, enjoy it while it lasts.