What are humans?

Post Reply New Topic

I cannot help but get all ruffled when people compare humans to apes. Yes, our DNA is very similar, but that tiny difference is a big difference. I once watched a documentary where they were showing an experiment performed with a chimp. This happened to be some 'super smart sign language' chimp that they all thought was so special. They had the chimp sitting next to them with two small bowls on the table. Across the table, there was another chimp separated by plexigass. They would put five or six m&m's into one bowl and only one or two in the other and ask the chimp which one they wanted to give the other chimp. Over and over the chimp reached for the bowl with the most candy. The chimp completely understood the question, their action, and the results of those actions...to the point the chimp became visibly angry and frustrated because it could not resist the urge to reach for the one it wanted for itself, knowing full well it would be given to the other chimp. Even when one bowl was empty the chimp still chose for the other chimp to get the better serving. Chimps are freaking stupid.

I think you missed it. There was one question. Which one to give the other chimp. This chimp knew it wanted the larger serving for itself and wanted the other chimp to get the smaller serving, but kept reaching for the one it wanted instead. Every time it reached for the larger serving, that serving was then served to the other chimp, leaving the smaller serving for the chimp with the choice to eat. This was a chimp trained in language and understood the concept and communication of giving something to someone else, yet did this over and over to its own frustration. I guess I should not say they are stupid, but perhaps unable to control their own reflexive urges, but I will still say it anyway...stupid chimps...

You may be correct, but I still cannot help but get irked at being compared to monkeys.

Good point, parakeet...and I have always loved the way limeys say banana.

Humans may be smart apes, but that does not make them not (more or less) apes. I mean, I would hope we were smart, otherwise I would be forced to conclude our comically large brains were for decoration.

I think that a lot of the discussions of human to animal comparisons here and elsewhere may easily be contextualized by the force of feelings. Hardly surprising in a topic that raises issues of what we are and what we are doing as a species.

The force of feelings used to generate context is of course a very generic one amongst all living things that rely on memory in some way for their survival. Memory allows thought, and thought is connected to feeling. Context is simply a comic book representation, or a compressed version of a situation that a mind can process into action within a finite time period.

If you look closely at human animal comparisons, it is possible to quantify differences in raw intelligence from a task / solution perspective - Pigeon Intelligence

Is this a comparison between humans and pigeons?

*Or an investigation of what pigeons can do?

Why should anyone take the abilities of a pigeon personally? - War-hero pigeon is remembered. Yes, pigeons were given medals for war service, and it makes me a bit gooey on the inside knowing of this.

Even quantum mechanics tells us objectivity is impossible. I put an asterix next to the question alluding to the most "scientific" perspective above. The rest was a subjective weave in demonstrating possible emotional coloring on or around the topic of comparing humans to animals .

I still find the rest amazing and hold onto everything, science just stops me going insane amongst it..

Although a good deal of this discussion deals with the difference between humans and other animals even a superficial glance at human history and current behavior with the incessant massive murders, persecutions, superstitions, ignorances, gullibility, desire for idiotic possessions and interpersonal regard, meaningless wars, ignorance of and violent destructions of basic necessary environments, fascination with violent games and personal dominance I have to conclude that, whatever my genetic structure may indicate, I am not human. Exactly what I am I cannot say except I am some sort of animal that superficially looks human.

I am proud that I am not human. I am proud I don't belong to the quivering mess that is humanity.
I socialize with them, but only certain members of the species. Those higher up in the dominance hierarchy (both social and political) generally don't deserve that power.
I am a human-shaped being, one whose existance needs a new genus from homo sapians sapians