Real World Event Discussions

Are we animals, or something else?

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Monday, June 3, 2024 14:47
VIEWED: 10390
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CHRISISALL

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:01 PM

Just wanted to test the waters here. Some think we are above animals- that we are unique due to our superiour intelligence, opposable thumbs, souls or whatnot.
Others (like myself) feel that we are merely well-groomed talking chimps, with no exclusive franchise on "souls" or varieties of intellect.

"We are all animals, my Lady."

The laughing Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

RUE

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:12 PM

Animals.

The one difference is that we create alternate realities for ourselves through words. And to which our brains then respond AS IF they were real.

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:16 PM

Are you saying that groups of apes or schools of dolphins are incapable of bullsh*ting each other?

The laughing Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

AGENTROUKA

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:17 PM

Biologically, I think, we are animals.

I do, however, feel that there is no contradiction in aknowledging that our mental, emotional and spiritual capacities make us fairly special. We do surpass all other species in this regard.

What does "above animals" mean, in your eyes? Eating them? Exploiting them for fur, pets, eggs, labor? Planning for human needs first, animal needs second?

Is there somewhere in particular you are going with this? It sounds like the set-up for a follow-up question.

AGENTROUKA

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Are you saying that groups of apes or schools of dolphins are incapable of bullsh*ting each other?

Bullshitting how? Practical jokes? Or entirely verbal, abstract constructs?

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AgentRouka:

What does "above animals" mean, in your eyes?

Like, we are to animals like God is to us.
Or some such silliness.

The laughing Chrisisall

"I only do it to to remind you that I'm right and that deep down, you know I'm right, you want me to be right, you need me to be right." - The Imperial Hero Strikes Back, 2010

NIKI2

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:20 PM

All creatures are 'animals', Chris--you know that. Biologically. We are one species among many...I'm one of those who has argued on the side of us being "more intelligent", but I don't think that makes us the "supreme species" by any means.

I imagine you won't find many here (among the "thinking" people) who will argue that we aren't animals...there's a pretty strong "anti-human" mentality here. Not that I disagree with it, I just believe that (for good or ill), we are the dominant species and our form of "intelligence" is different from that of other species.

On the path we both tread, all sentient beings have Buddha Nature/ Essence. "Broadly speaking, it denotes beings with consciousness or sentience or, in some contexts, life itself". Neither consciousness nor sentience are restricted to the human speciestho' "sentient" is still not completely decided.

I'm glad you added "somesuch silliness", Chris, as you know how many there are out there who believe we ARE to animals as "God" is to us.

"I'm just right. Kinda like the sun rising in the east and the world being round...its not a need its just the way it is." The Delusional "Hero", 3/1/10

ECGORDON

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:21 PM

I'm not a vegetable or a mineral, so that leaves animal.

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AgentRouka:

Bullshitting how? Practical jokes? Or entirely verbal, abstract constructs?

Like dolphin "C" says to dolphin "B" that dolphin "S" has Sonar of Mass Dolphin Destruction & needs to be fed to the fishes.
That sort of bullsh*t.

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 5:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Niki2:

On the path we both tread, all sentient beings have Buddha Nature/ Essence. "Broadly speaking, it denotes beings with consciousness or sentience or, in some contexts, life itself". Neither consciousness nor sentience are restricted to the human speciestho' "sentient" is still not completely decided.

Other animals are as intelligent as they need to be. Dolphins have no need to create tools, hence they have no nuclear capability.
Yet.