Are Human Superior to Animals?

MokiHunter · **Posted:** Sun May 18, 2008 1:54 pm

I'm with you. I think humans are superior to animals mentally, but not in strongness, or anything like that. We are smarter than most animals, but don't forget we ourselves are animals as well, so we can never say we are better than all animals because we are animals...

VividEnigma · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2008 5:04 am

Sunkisst {Rebel} wrote:

Cobalt wrote:

But, there is one point. Humans are the most suicidal animal in the world. Why? We pollute our land, we feast ourselves on food, we set out on wars that kill many... it just goes on. However, if humans didn't exist, you'd find that the animals could survive fine. Why? They aren't suicidal like us, and that's one way they're smarter than us.

Agreed.

I believe that all humans and animals are equal; because humans are animals aswell. But definetely an animal the world would do alot better without.

And besides; humans take what they want, while animals only take what they need. We have somehow become the dominant creature on the planet, and use this to a cruel advantage. I don't think it's because we're more intelligent though. I honestly don't know, and I don't really worry about the issue much.

- Rebel

I agree. There are some ways that humans are different, not superior to animals, that can be good things (such as stories, art) and other things and their are the other things, like our desire to look pretty and our carelessness to the environment (I know that these do not apply strongly to all people, but in a small way, it is everybody).

No one is superior to anybody. We should've learned this in preschool. Although in that case... the teacher has all the rules, so I guess that is considered dominance, not superiority. Chimpanzee's have greater memory and instant recognitions than humans. I watched on T.V there was a black screen and numbers appeared for one second in random places. Chimpanzees got nearly all of them right, and humans failed to get hardly any correct.

Humans are not superior to animals and vice versa. But animals have more respect for the creatures around them.

Sushi Roll · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:40 pm

Well, since people are animals, no we are not superior.

I think it's rather amusing how highly we think of ourselves when in the end, we're the ones that will put an end to life on earth as we know it. Lol But that's another story X3

VividEnigma · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2008 4:10 pm

I'm glad to see so many people realize this.

UKthewhitewolf · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2008 6:48 pm

Nope, not at all.

Not in the definition of "superior" anyway. Sure, humans have figured out how to build cities and wear clothes. Though if you look at animals and basically shrink our world down a little to compare...is a major city too different to a termite colony? That's a pretty impressive structure if you ask me.

Basically, Canis Lupus on page 1 summed up what I think perfectly. ;]

VividEnigma · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:16 am

breeze starbuck wrote:

I have to go with Dragon Tamer and some of the other members who share this viewpoint. I do believe that humans are superior to animals and I do believe that we humans tend to underestimate our own species half the time. Allow me to explain. Although there are many problems in society due to humans, such as the making of weapons and the levels of violence, I also find there to be many areas where we people show compassion and concern for others. Such as when we interact with victims of crimes or when natural disasters happen. There are plenty of times when humanity and individuals themselves pull together to help others, no matter who they are or where they are from. We are not limited to only helping people in our own family or only looking out for ourselves as some other animals would be. For example would you look in the wild and see a wolf helping a wounded deer, or a hawk helping a mouse escape from danger? Sure we'd all like to think that way and granted there are some cases where that may occur, but for the majority of time it just wouldn't happen. The hunter will not often help the prey to escape and vice versa. I think on the other hand what makes us more superior to animals is that often in times of need mankind will band together to help others out and for the greater cause. I think back to the many tsunamis, hurricanes, and even ordinary housefires where the whole neighborhood and sometimes even the whole country bands together to help those affected. (Again I realise that not all cases are like this. But once again the majority are.) And I'd like to point out the amount of compassion and support we as a 'species' give towards foundations like the various cancer societies. Many people donate their time and money to help increase the likelyhood that there will be a cure one day. Even though many of us realise that it will be way in the future, it doesn't stop us from supporting the research. (Need I also mention the many organ and blood donations that go on worldwide every year? Now that's often for people that the donars have never even met!) Yes we may destroy at times, but we also protect and rescue.

Another point I'd like to make is that not only do we step in to save our own species, but we also take measures to protect different species of animals and the environment. We are not only capable of showing concern to our own species but also to other creatures who cannot even speak back to us. And we not only care about them, but we love them so much that they become a part of our family and we make laws to protect them.

My main point is basically that it is not only the humans capabilities to go beyond personal boundaries or societal norms to care about someone; but also the ability we have to step up to the plate when needed, and the times when our compassion really shines that makes us superior to animals. I just ask that you guys keep an open mind and not give up on us people just yet, try and look at our world with a little more optimism. The sun's always shining somewhere, even if it's dark where you are.

(And if you read this whole post you deserve a cookie!)

Breeze Starbuck I DO see your point. It is well thought out and has many good 'points'.

There are many good people in the world, I admit. But about compassion to other creatures... well, I was going to think of a good argument, but you are correct. I don't think that a stray dog cares about someone like me as I do about a stray dog. I think the thing I hate about the majority of the human race is the fact that a lot of us THINK we are so superior. You don't see wolves testing whether mud, caribou blood and pine juice makes causes a skin reaction on a human. I think I have undercredited the human race a little, but still, without humans, the world would survive a whole lot longer. The thing is, although a lion wouldn't help the gazelle population if it was endangered, the lions wouldn't bring it to endangerment in the first place.

Animals hardly think outside their own... family. I would have said species, but a dog feels compassion to humans. Also, there has been cases of lions taking in abandoned gazelles, which is more a motherhood instinct than a sense of right and wrong.

Thank you for that article Breeze Starbuck, it has made me have a little hope in the human race.

(Now where's my cookie?)

slayguy86 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:58 pm

Humans are the top species on the planet (at the moment and as far as we know). Because of the Human Brain mostly, the ability to think, process information and conciousness. We make tools and technology, we breed quickly, we're quick to adapt to changes in the environment... these are abilities that most animal life on Earth lack.

Physically we're quite inferior to most animals, we're not physically strong, we're not fast and human senses are not nearly as accute as most animal life. Primates in general are just not impressive physically and without human intellect we'd just fall prey to everything else.

Ghost-Unit · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 2:11 pm

To those of you who are saying animals are superior to humans, please consider my following points:

1) By "thinking" animals are superior, you are proving that they are not. You happen to be using one of the attributes enjoyed by the human race, which is the ability to think and consider.

2) Animals are physically stronger? Yes, when you look at it from a primitive time. However, our ability to create things to overcome that shortcoming evens us out.

3) If humans lost their intelligence, we'd be in the same league as most creatures. If physically dominant creatures lost their physical attributes, where would they be? They'd probably be on the same level as deer. The human being is physically capable of fending for itself.

4) Look around you. Animals aren't building computers. Despite the often compassionate attitudes of animals towards other animals, seen in fiction, is in reality little and far between. They could care less about their neighbor.

5) War. War isn't a human creation. The wars WE wage are directly related to how we wage it. Animals don't have that choice. Tooth and claw are their weapons. Missiles, guns, tanks, etc are how we wage wars. Granted, far larger and catastrophic, but my point is war is not a human creation. Since I like wolves, and wolves are popularly discussed here, I'll use them as an example. Say humans never existed. And there were many wolf packs abound, in a small area. Hunting would be a competition, packs would fight to remove the competition.

--

Now, as most who read this probably would have guessed, I am in the camp of humans are superior to animals. My reasons can be derived from above.

Cotton Grass · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:00 pm

I believe humans are superior to animals. But don't think of me as a cruel person. I love animals and wan't to take care of them. But when people got to the extremes & treat animals equal or higher to a human life, I think that is unexceptable. Humans were put on this earth to take care of the animals that inhabit it. Not to have humans putting animals before their own lives.

Ghost-Unit · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:44 pm

Cotton Grass wrote:

I believe humans are superior to animals. But don't think of me as a cruel person. I love animals and wan't to take care of them. But when people got to the extremes & treat animals equal or higher to a human life, I think that is unexceptable. Humans were put on this earth to take care of the animals that inhabit it. Not to have humans putting animals before their own lives.

That does not make you a cruel person. You're just acknowledging a simple fact.

VividEnigma · **Posted:** Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:52 am

Ghost-Unit)WoF( wrote:

To those of you who are saying animals are superior to humans, please consider my following points:

1) By "thinking" animals are superior, you are proving that they are not. You happen to be using one of the attributes enjoyed by the human race, which is the ability to think and consider.

2) Animals are physically stronger? Yes, when you look at it from a primitive time. However, our ability to create things to overcome that shortcoming evens us out.

3) If humans lost their intelligence, we'd be in the same league as most creatures. If physically dominant creatures lost their physical attributes, where would they be? They'd probably be on the same level as deer. The human being is physically capable of fending for itself.

4) Look around you. Animals aren't building computers. Despite the often compassionate attitudes of animals towards other animals, seen in fiction, is in reality little and far between. They could care less about their neighbor.

5) War. War isn't a human creation. The wars WE wage are directly related to how we wage it. Animals don't have that choice. Tooth and claw are their weapons. Missiles, guns, tanks, etc are how we wage wars. Granted, far larger and catastrophic, but my point is war is not a human creation. Since I like wolves, and wolves are popularly discussed here, I'll use them as an example. Say humans never existed. And there were many wolf packs abound, in a small area. Hunting would be a competition, packs would fight to remove the competition.

--

Now, as most who read this probably would have guessed, I am in the camp of humans are superior to animals. My reasons can be derived from above.

Although I don't think animals are superior, I believe we are equal. My opinions on your opinions are...

1) Many animals (such as dogs) DO have the ability to think and consider. A true example of this is what I read in a (fact) book.

Everyday a family and their dog would walk to the park and stop for a while and the dog would go swimming in the lake. One day, the family didn't stop at the lake and continued to walk past the park. The dog hesitated, about to follow them, but then dived into the lake. Almost straight away the dog came back out and ran after it's human family, barely stopping to shake.

2) I do agree, though a lot of these materials required to create these weapons are not renewable and can have a bad effect on the environment. Claws, however, are regrowable and will have no effect on the environment

3) Although I agree with your point to an extent, a human without it's apparent 'superior intelligence' would be much more helpless than a deer.

4)Oh yes? And I suppose Puppy Farms, Battery Cages and Dry Sow Stalls are very compassionate? The level of compassion may often be greater, so is the level of un-compassion.

5) Fights between animals (of the same species) rarely end in death. Usually on group or individually will back down to the physically or mentally stronger before any major injuries are to be had.

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Are Human Superior to Animals?