Sad news: baby elephant has died.

Cap'n · #11 12-09-2004, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buk_A_neer

Quote:

Originally Posted by CptCleverer

Humans are animals. At one time there would have been very little difference to even consider our species seperate from others on this planet. At what point in evolutionary history did humans "decide" they were special? When they could think that they are?

When a territorial animal marks its territory it is saying to the world, "This is me! This is my land! I am important!". Just one example.

Because we can " decide " to invent things we became special ... when we could rationalize and expand our minds past a primate we became " special "

Oh No ... I have upset another " tree-hugger "

As Quinn has stated chimpanzees invent and use tools.
Other animals can rationalize and there are probably marine mammals with more expansive minds than primates. Humans definately have developed an advantage over the other residents of the planet but I cannot agree that we have a certain something that makes us more important, special or significant than others.

I am not and was not upset. Just asking some questions and enjoying the conversation. The "tree-hugger" term is being thrown around quite loosely here with a lot of generalizations. I fail to see how someone like myself can be labelled as such just because I have studied and have an understanding of animal behaviour anyway. Does that by default make you, BukAneer, an "ignorant redneck"? I think not.