Humans are Animals OR are they Beings ?

[MERIZoC]

It's an important question, folks. And it's up for YOU to decide. What the fuck is a human anyway? There are an estimated seven (7) kingdoms of biology, and we could fit into any one! Or none! I am personally of the opinion that we are at least Animal and fungi (found some interesting growths on my feet that definitely come from spores) but we may also be bacteria, I'm not sure. As for whether we are beings or beans, I really cannot say, so I turn to you, esteemed people of NSG, for your thoughts on this matter.

[Fartsniffage]

I am a human bean.

[New Axiom]

Did you just assume my preference of pronoun? I identify as an attack helicopter, thank you very much.

In all seriousness though, what?

[New Axiom]

Not really.
They have a hard time dealing with the essential fact. Seeing yourself as an animal, and seeing that you share many of the same traits that animals do, has a tendency to do away with our pride. Essentially, there isn't much difference (physically) between me and a chimp.

There are many more than that.


Thats not quite how it works


Would they? Why is there a dichotomy between animal and "being"?

Yes and no. I'll start with no. people see animals as being a dumb, unsophisticated creature with no rights. We kill and eat a cow without any problem. If we admit to ourselves that we are just animals, the fear some people have is that it will degrade the nature of people. Now as far as beings go, you would not refer to a deer or a boar the term of a "being". Being carries some specific rights and it means you can not be killed without a single thought.
Essentially, I see it as a word game. What is a being but an animal ? Let's investigate humans and find the answers to our most pressing questions.


What?

As I have said before, there is people that have a hard time admitting were animals. Typical of those that do is the Creationists, who insist on God and Genesis as truth.

You’re assuming it’s a fact that we are animals, but in reality really the only trait we share with animals is our classification-mammals-and certain DNA markers we share. Really, nothing else.

[New Vlada]

i can see this thread going.. smoothly.

humans are not animals, because we are sentient. we can think and have self-awareness.
but if you say humans are animals biologically, then sure, humans are animals

[Fartsniffage]

As I have said before, there is people that have a hard time admitting were animals. Typical of those that do is the Creationists, who insist on God and Genesis as truth.

You’re assuming it’s a fact that we are animals, but in reality really the only trait we share with animals is our classification-mammals-and certain DNA markers we share. Really, nothing else.

Social groups, communication, building, farming, tool use, getting intentionally drunk. All things we share with animals.

[New Vlada]

Social groups, communication, building, farming, tool use, getting intentionally drunk. All things we share with animals.

Yes. But you still need to eat, you have sex with the gender your attracted to and you still defecate. All animal things. You share 99% of the same DNA with chimps. Now we do DNA tests on children to discover who there father is. If chimps have 99% of the same DNA, that means that we are indeed related to them and in fact, as I see it, are animals.

do you understand sentience?

it's very simple. if something is self-aware or possesses the ability to think, it is more than just an animal (robot, etc) - it is sentient
and before you ask, no i am not religious in any way

[New Axiom]

Did you just assume my preference of pronoun? I identify as an attack helicopter, thank you very much.

In all seriousness though, what?

I will use the definition of animals and being to make my point.

Animals: The definition of animals are members of the kingdom Animalia and are generally characterized by having a multicellular body, quick movement, specialized sense organs and the ability to get and digest food. Cats, dogs and elephants are each examples of animals.

Being: 1) Being is defined as the state of existing or living or something that exists. 2) all the physical and mental qualities that make up a person; personality

As you can see, the idea is spread that although animals can be described, they only can be described as they are made. However, since human beings have both language to describe whatever they feel, and we assume they have rights, they are protects while there is no sense of the protection or the right to be protected of an animal.
As I have said before, people who insist on this difference, like Creationist and others, are missing the point. Yes, we are beings because we can talk and we have rights. However, I think it is wrong to only describe animals as having obvious physical properties and downplaying the fact that animals like chimps are very close to us genetically.
My essential problem is that some animals, like chimps, have an I.Q of a two year old, yet we still kill them. However, if you served a two year of child for dinner, I am sure you would have problems.

So according to your definition of animals, insects are also considered an animal, which is false because insects are insects.

Yes, humans are biologically the same as most animals, but humans are not animals becuase we have an understanding of things such as ethics and are able to ask thesis very question. Do you think a chimp is capable of thinking such things as we are talking about now? Or a dog? Or a cat? Or even a hamster?

Humans are humans. This is like trying to claim a bacteria is a virus when in reality the two organisms are far more different.

[Fartsniffage]

Social groups, communication, building, farming, tool use, getting intentionally drunk. All things we share with animals.

Yes. But you still need to eat, you have sex with the gender your attracted to and you still defecate. All animal things. You share 99% of the same DNA with chimps. Now we do DNA tests on children to discover who there father is. If chimps have 99% of the same DNA, that means that we are indeed related to them and in fact, as I see it, are animals.

( the chimp information can be found at http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/06/ ... -relatives)

You thought I was disagreeing with you?

[New Vlada]

-snip-

i don't think you're getting it. animals aren't sentient. humans are. we are much different from animals.
we can stand upright, expand our knowledge, are smarter in general, and have achieved dominance over the planet. and many more.

we aren't animals for god's sake...

[Mushet]

We are animals, it is silly how obsessed people are in thinking we are so much better than all the others.

[Autumns]

Animals > Humans.

Honestly people who says humans are animals are the ones trying to act like humans are good :/

[Sela Vom]

We are animals, it is silly how obsessed people are in thinking we are so much better than all the others.

Indeed. That's my point. If we admit the truth, we can start looking for more rational solutions to our problems. For instance, why do we do criminal things ? Now, I have a hard time believing it is because of "Original Sin" or that we are born sinners. Yet, if you listen to some people, that is there explanation.

I feel like you are just queueing up swings at a religious straw man that isn't present on this thread. Several times you mention religion and that "some ppl think this" without anyone saying it or it being all that relevant.

[New Vlada]

OP, did you make a nation just to start shit on the forums?
Serious question.

Indeed. That's my point. If we admit the truth, we can start looking for more rational solutions to our problems. For instance, why do we do criminal things ? Now, I have a hard time believing it is because of "Original Sin" or that we are born sinners. Yet, if you listen to some people, that is their explanation.

people do crime because they are in hard times, not because of ''original sin'', obviously

[Sela Vom]

Please excuse me. It must have been my Original Sin, which I am guilty of even before I could think. But seriously, I advocate people that are Creationists to join the debate.

Exactly my point. Do you have a thought you want debated here, or an axe to grind against a phantom creationist adversary that you're shadow boxing?

And for what it's worth, for those who believe it, the doctrine original sin isn't related to why men sin, it's a stain inherited from man's first sin. Not related to this topic.


Edit typo

[The New California Republic]

Yet the fact remains that humans are animals. Many people would disagree with me.

I really don't see who would?

[New Vlada]

Why do we kill ?

there is always individual reasons for this sort of thing. self defence, homicidal tendencies, sadism, etc

Why does one person kill a person and then goes on to consume there flesh ?

i'm beginning to think you're just a nutter

What causes a person to become a pedophile, and what can we do to cure it ?

you become a pedophile when you're attracted to or making sexual advances towards children. idk about the curing part

How can we stop war ?

planetary unification - but that won't ever happen (at least diplomatically)

[Aztlanta]

Humans are sentient animals.

[Sela Vom]

Humans often ( at least it hasn't been) show any concern for animals because they figure our they are mindless, emotionless, unfeeling creatures.

I don't know that any human in history, cruel or not, has ever thought animals were mindless, emotionless, or unfeeling.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make any more. Have a good night / day.

[New Vlada]

Sure. Humans often ( at least it hasn't been) show any concern for animals because they figure our they are mindless, emotionless, unfeeling creatures. However, I have taken the stance that we are indeed animals ourselves, and if we treated humans like we treat animals, we would be in a world of hurt.
Admitting the truth to ourselves is the first thing we can do that will make us better. By admitting there is only a difference mentally and that some animals share our emotions and (to a limited degree) our thoughts, we can extend protection to them. I feel that killing a chimp should be a jail able act, seeing that you killed an intelligent, emotional animal. It does not matter if we make laws banning the killing of chimps for OUR sake, it matters if it is done for the CHIMPS sake.

ugh. let me try this again
Humans are animals, in the sense of DNA, large portions of the human body, and whatever biological thing you can list
Humans are more than just animals, in the sense of ethics, literally all of our scientific advances, and sentience, etc

Humans are sentient animals.

this

[The New California Republic]

However, I have taken the stance that we are indeed animals ourselves ... Admitting the truth to ourselves is the first thing we can do that will make us better.

You are saying this as if you have had some unique Revelation that nobody else has had, but there have been plenty of people that have had this thought before you, Darwin being the most obvious example...

[Sovaal]

As I have said before, there is people that have a hard time admitting were animals. Typical of those that do is the Creationists, who insist on God and Genesis as truth.

You’re assuming it’s a fact that we are animals, but in reality really the only trait we share with animals is our classification-mammals-and certain DNA markers we share. Really, nothing else.

Yep, totally don’t share traits such as organs, organ systems, cell structure, genetic structure, instincts...

Seriously, there’s a reason that Homo sapiens is classified in kingdom Animalia.

[New Axiom]

Exactly my point. Do you have a thought you want debated here, or an axe to grind against a phantom creationist adversary that you're shadow boxing?

And for what it's worth, for those who believe it, the doctrine original sin isn't related to why men sin, it's a stain inherited from man's first sin. Not related to this topic.


Edit typo

Sure. Humans often ( at least it hasn't been) show any concern for animals because they figure our they are mindless, emotionless, unfeeling creatures. However, I have taken the stance that we are indeed animals ourselves, and if we treated humans like we treat animals, we would be in a world of hurt.
Admitting the truth to ourselves is the first thing we can do that will make us better. By admitting there is only a difference mentally and that some animals share our emotions and (to a limited degree) our thoughts, we can extend protection to them. I feel that killing a chimp should be a jail able act, seeing that you killed an intelligent, emotional animal. It does not matter if we make laws banning the killing of chimps for OUR sake, it matters if it is done for the CHIMPS sake.

I don’t know about you but I actually have had pets I care for and treat very well. Usually my pet cat Crash eats better than I do.

Also, what about pharmaceutical testing? Often times humans test drugs on animals to determine their safety to humans. Would you rather take a prototype chemotherapy drug or let a chimp test it?

I’d rather let the chimp try it out.

[New Axiom]

You’re assuming it’s a fact that we are animals, but in reality really the only trait we share with animals is our classification-mammals-and certain DNA markers we share. Really, nothing else.

Yep, totally don’t share traits such as organs, organ systems, cell structure, genetic structure, instincts...

Seriously, there’s a reason that Homo sapiens is classified in kingdom Animalia.

Yeah yeah yea I was wrong, goddamn.

[New Axiom]

there is always individual reasons for this sort of thing. self defence, homicidal tendencies, sadism, etc

i'm beginning to think you're just a nutter


You can understand why I feel like I do. I mean, it would be fine if you were starving. But in all the cases I have heard, the person had a sexual fetish for cannibalism. In fact, in one cases, the guy wanted to be eaten !

You got proof of this?