What differentiates humans from other species ?

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: 9teen

By the way to anyone who says humans have no natural defenses, tell me why I can guarantee you I could, unarmed, kill any dog, no mater how well trained, in a one on one combat. I'd be bleeding really bad, but I'd win. No natural defenses my ass.

how you gonna kill a dog with no hands? lol maybe with a baseball bat but you ain't killin my dog with your bare hands lol dream on pal

a reply to: bottleslingguy

explain innovation then

Excellent question; a star for that.

Among less advanced animals, instinctive behaviour often manifests as a simple, unvarying pattern: when a barracuda sees something shiny wriggling in the water, it will strike at it, whether it's a small fish, an angler's lure or a diver's wrist with a steel watch bracelet on it. That simple kind of instinct doesn't admit of variation and cannot be the basis of innovation unless disease, maiming or an inherited mutation causes the behaviour to change. Only in the last of the three cases is the innovation heritable, but by then it has ceased to be an innovation.

Higher animals tend to have complex and often highly labile instinctive behaviour. The general intent and evident object of the behaviour remain the same but its elements will vary depending on the circumstances. Think of how lions or wolves hunt, or how crows and chimpanzees forage; they're following their instincts, but their actions do not always follow the same unvarying pattern. Learning is instinctive, and applying learned knowledge the same; when intelligence comes on the scene — I'm speaking of animal intelligence in general, not only of the human kind — then innovation in the service of instinct becomes instinctive too.

a reply to: gosseyn

I think it could be debated that animals have consciousness. One could easily argue that the difference between humans and other species is the ability to ignore instinct or conditioned stimuli. There is something in a human that isn't there in a dog. I love my dog. I would probably die for it, but my dog doesn't understand love or compassion. When I pet my dog it simply is reacting to the feeling that comes from my hand. When it listens to my commands it is simply responding to classical conditioning. I could classically condition a human, and the human could immediately choose to ignore the conditioning once aware it was there. The Dog is not aware. The Human is. Now I'd be curious in your evidence of animals having languages, I sure would like to speak sloth. Culture is defined as "the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively." Hard for other species to have arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement.

In my opinion, it is our ability of complex vocal communication, the ability to communicate complicated abstract ideas. We have the ability to pass on multiple generations of experience through communication in a rather short amount of time. To think other animals are "less" or not aware is a bit naive - other species have different personalities - they have varying emotional responses to external stimuli, just as humans do - their cognitive functions might be more primitive then ours, but that doesn't lessen their ability to feel or experience. The just can't communicate that experience in the same manner we can.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

There is something in a human that isn't there in a dog.

An immortal soul fashioned in the image of God, eh?

If God bears any resemblance to Man, the misery and suffering we see everywhere in nature are at least easily explained.

a reply to: bottleslingguy

I didn't say no hands, I said no weapon, that's what the term unarmed means.

Anyone could kill any dog if willing to get hurt in the process, and if they just don't panic. Dog's are actually rather terribly built for one on one combat, they really only have one weapon, there's a reason wolves hunt in packs unless hunting small weaker prey like a rabbit.

The main thing is not panicking, holding your ground, and remembering, the dogs mouth is his weapon. There are so many ways to do it. One fun one, that will cause your arm to be torn up, but the dog will die is to take your hand, put your fingers and thumb into a point and shove your hand/arm right down the dogs throat, the dog will have no idea what your doing and go right for your hand as you send to it's target.

And this is just ONE of several ways to do it. Actually and old man once killed a cheetah that attacked him this way too.

Addendum: Of note, I am a dog person, I love dogs, and I'd subdue one if possible in self defense long before I'd choose anything lethal. I also would never harm a dog who was not actively trying to harm me. I also do not consider a nip trying to harm me, it's a warning, so no I don't go all kung fu on a dog for nipping me either. As a dog lover I have a high tolerance for what damages I will take from someone dog before it's an issue. I'll blame the owner before the dog if something serious happens, and will never take it to court. I see no reason to take it to court where they'll have the dog put down quite possibly, when in my opinion it's probably a humans fault and not the dogs.

Just don't want people thinking, Puppy is a puppy killer/abuser.

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

Actually your dog has been proven scientificly to have the same feelings for you that we do when first in romantic love. You give your dog butterflies, and being around you lights up all the pathways in the dogs brain as ours do when we first fall in love.

So when it comes to feelings, there's literally no denying animals have those. Your dog really does love you. In fact, since their butterflies never go away, one could say, no one will ever love you long term like your dog does.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: Krazysh0t

The biggest different between humans and other animals: humans have the ability to ignore instinct.

Not unless ignoring instincts is an instinct.

Interesting. So you are saying that nature may have evolved an instinct that allows to supercede other instincts? Would you call that instinct rational thought then?

originally posted by: gosseyn
Here is an affirmation :
What differentiates humans from other species inside the animal realm and life in general is the possibility to transmit information through lapses of time of the millennia magnitude. That is what permits us to build civilizations, to continue the work of our predecessors without the need for each generation to reinvent the wheel. Humans start where their predecessors have stopped while other animals start where their predecessors have started.

Other species have, just like us :
- consciousness
- language
- culture
But they don't have the capacity to transmit information through centuries and millennia.

You disagree ? Discuss !

Other species in the animal kingdom are tuned in to nature. The great majority of humanity (with exception of a few indigenous groups) are not and tends to have the virus mindset.

I have no real nice things to say about humanity, except those very very few (close to extinction level) that possess the force of care and morality plus general respect towards life. Humans in general or "social humanity" aka narcissistic humans are destructive, in one way shape or form. We are the only species, (aside from viruses) that tends to destroy more than create. Think about that next time you play your role as a "consumer".

I tell it how it is, and sorry to burst your dream bubble, if in case you wanted to hear good things. I'm not some new ager with a naive mind that pretends "all is good" all while playing the role of the three monkeys. "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." which is Ignorance at it's finest.


I just summed up humanity for you. And whether you like it or not, this is the truth.

I do apologize for my bitterness, but as you can see, I have reason to be bitter the more i see this world crumble.

a reply to: SoulSurfer

Nature is a vicious competitive environment don't pretend the animal kingdoms # doesn't stink in general. Take off the rose covered glasses and do some actual research on nature. It's a vicious beast, with pockets of sweet, just like humanity, a vicious beast with pockets of sweet.

Most humans AND most animals just go about their daily lives not giving a # about anything else. There is no natural balance, long before humanity species came and went as they devoured each other in competition, or died from changing ecosystems. Why do you think there were three distinct Dinosaur ages? It's because of evolutionary war, they kept evolving new ways to slaughter each other and defend from each other. Do you know how many species went extinct because of non humans out competing each other?

Humans are what we are because we come from nature, and we're just the baddest mofo's in the animal kingdom. We're no less natural or less in "tune" with nature than anything else. We're nature made sentient and given the ability to produce technology. Like nature, we're destructive and chaotic.

The "balance" of nature is nothing more than a crock of bs, nature is not, and has never been "balanced" it's in constant flux, it's just some fluctuations are so minute you don't notice them, or they take awhile, others are sudden and catastrophic.

Nature is the most beautiful and ugly thing in existence, unless something sentient actually designed it to be like this, in which case, throw away the beauty aspect as it then just becomes horrifying because whoever designed nature was a seriously sick individual.

I posit that the difference between Man and other animals, is a simple soul, and that all other differences-civilization, the need for answers, the quest for knowledge, et cetera-stem from our possessing a soul. A soul is what enables us to have faith, to answer an unanswerable question with complete certainty. Without a soul, intelligence, love and creativity are certainly all possible, but are severely limited in potential, whereas humanity has an infinite capacity to grow and adapt. We are limited by two things: circumstance, and ourselves. What we choose to do with that power, well... Take a look around you.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: Krazysh0t

The biggest different between humans and other animals: humans have the ability to ignore instinct.

Not unless ignoring instincts is an instinct.

Interesting. So you are saying that nature may have evolved an instinct that allows to supercede other instincts? Would you call that instinct rational thought then?

I certainly would.

a reply to: Puppylove

Actually your dog has been proven scientificly to have the same feelings for you that we do when first in romantic love.

Lol lets see this scientific proof, and before you continue I'd like to remind you that prove means it could be no other way.

You give your dog butterflies, and being around you lights up all the pathways in the dogs brain as ours do when we first fall in love.

How do you know the Dog has butterflies? Did you speak to it? For all you know that dog is getting butterflies because it thinks I may give it food ..seems to me like you are allowing confirmation bias to guide your interpretations of whatever data your speaking of.

a reply to: gosseyn

What differentiates humans from other species inside the animal realm and life in general is the possibility to transmit information through lapses of time of the millennia magnitude.

Animals can do that as well. Monarch Butterflies; Crows; Whales; etc. Just contemplate how migration paths are passed on or how Sea Turtles know to make their way to the water from the sand immediately after hatching.

Here is what I see that differentiates Humans from the rest of the Animal Kingdom:

We humans are gifted with a highly evolved mind capable of perceiving reality in a highly evolved manner (dimensionally larger perception,) through the combination of our senses and conditioning (Subjective Beliefs). Animals do not have personal belief systems like we humans do. Also, we humans have the unique ability to conceive realities. In other words, we humans have the power of imagination. A human mind has the capacity to dream up, and imagine intricate realities which pave the way for their physical manifestation.

As humans our true uniqueness lies in our power to “dream” and imagine; the ability to project a new reality in our mind. Animals cannot do this.

We humans possess the capability of imagining realities that we desire; animals cannot do this.

Every child, every adult has unique preferences, unique points of view, unique wants, needs and desires; animals do not do this.

We possess far more complex preferences and desires than all other animals on this planet, thus humans have the capacity to create expanded realities at a pace much faster than other creatures. For instance; animals adapt to their natural surroundings and incorporate it into their world whereas us humans alter the natural surroundings in order to suit our own needs. We bulldoze Nature instead of merging (becoming one) with Nature.

But they don't have the capacity to transmit information through centuries and millennia.

You disagree ? Discuss !

I disagree!

Here is why:

So, not only do they recognize us as individuals, but they have the means to describe us in detail to one another, even across generations. You know what that means: If you've ever f### with a crow, even if it was just the one time, decades ago, his children might be out there right now, plotting bloody revenge against you.

You stated:

What differentiates humans from other species inside the animal realm and life in general is the possibility to transmit information through lapses of time of the millennia magnitude.

Crows do that as well.

In Chatham, Ontario, crows began using the town as a sort of rest stop along their migration route. The end result was hundreds of thousands of birds taking refuge in the city, and because Chatham is a farming community, and crows tend to ruin crops, you can imagine that there were problems. It got so bad that the mayor declared war on them, hopefully by screaming those exact words into the air before hefting an axe and charging at their nests. The townspeople set out, hoping to bag at least 300,000 of the 600k birds currently ruining their livelihood.

Unfortunately for Chatham, word spreads fast in crow communities. The first day after the announcement was made, hunters went out and shot a crow.The rest flew off and, presumably in a dark room lit by a single ceiling lamp, began to spread word about the incident. After that, the Chatham crows always made sure to fly high enough above settled areas to avoid getting hit with bird shot. No more were killed that year. At all.

Also:

Crows have been known to change their entire migration pattern to avoid farms where even a single crow has been killed in the past.

Generations upon generations later, they still remember specific houses where one measly bird has died.

Thoughts?

www.cracked.com...

my point was how are you going to beat the dog to death after he rips your fingers off when you try to grab him, but I said "with no hands" you read it wrong, I know what unarmed means. I'd love to see someone try to ram their arm down my dog's throat ( disclaimer: my dog is extremely friendly but if you try to hurt his momma you're now on his # list so this scenario would be something like defending my wife). He would bite you several times before you got past his whiskers, he feels no pain, is 125 lbs of very agile Rottweiler so really your claim of killing any dog with your bare hands is silly and very unbelievable.



a reply to: Puppylove

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

Here you go

a reply to: bottleslingguy

If an old 80 year old man can single handed kill a cheetah which unlike your dog has three natural weapons, than a person can kill your dog. I love dogs, but I don't deny their failures.

Dogs, once again, are pack animals for a reason. They do not do well against a focused thinking opponent, and as you said, your dog is not violent in the first place.

In my mind it is tools, being able to comprehend that an object outside of our bodies is able to perform a task in a way that is superior to our natural abilities.

Thus, it is the ability to abstract the environment from ones self.

a reply to: systemresistor

Cept multiple animals engage in tool use besides humans.

a reply to: gosseyn

What makes humans different from other species? well, while other species acts on instincts mostly survival, humans acts are with intention, the intentions is to do as much damage as we can against our enviroment and others because we humans are the most arrogant species in earth