How are Humans different from animals? This was the final question for my Advanced Biology students last year. The semester leading up to this question was a survey of the animal kingdom from sponges and invertebrates, through vertebrates, including Humans. We learned about some surprisingly intelligent animals including: Octopi and squid; Birds such as the Raven; Mammals such as dolphins, elephants, and chimpanzees. Students were asked to take into account both the similarities and differences between humans and animals, as well as expressing their own views on the question. As always students are required to back up their claims with supporting statements, and readers are cautioned not to blindly accept unsupported claims.
What follows is the teacher's response to this question. One final note: While many religions have dealt with this question either directly or indirectly, the purpose of this essay is to explore the question from a scientific/biological perspective. Differences between humans and animals may seem rather obvious on the surface, but be careful about which attributes we assign exclusively to Homo sapiens (Human beings). Tool use is a good example. For a long time it was believed that humans were the only tool users until Jane Goodall observed chimpanzees fishing termites out of a nest using sticks which they had modified in 1960. Now, numerous examples of tool use are known in the animal kingdom. Another example is language. Humans are definitely the only animals to have invented symbolic (written) language, but there are examples of animals, such as Koko the gorilla, who, along with some other gorillas and chimps, has learned to use human sign language. Many birds, mammals such as whales, and even "lower" animals like honeybees, use very sophisticated languages to communicate with each other. Still, however, no other animals have mastered symbolic language anywhere near the extent humans have. Probably the most visible difference (to an Alien arriving from off-planet) is Human's use of technology, our ability to build things. There are many man-made structures visible from space, and no other animal has had such a profound effect on the Earth's environment in such a short amount of time. Similarities between Humans and animals are many, since, biologically speaking, humans are animals. Our skeletons, internal organs, reproduction, and even our behavior is very similar to other animals. The closer on the evolutionary tree the other animal is to humans the more similarities you will find. This is especially true when we compare Human DNA to that of other animals. For example, Humans share many characteristics with lizards. We have a spine, heart and lungs, 4 limbs, 2 eyes, a jaw with teeth, just like lizards do. But, a lizard is a reptile. We share even more characteristics with other mammals such as a horse. On top of the things we share with lizards, we are warm-blooded (endothermic), we have hair, we produce milk for our young, and we give "live birth" to our babies just like a horse, but not like a lizard. We share approximately 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees (our closest living relatives). In terms of behavior, there are some, perhaps more disturbing similarities between Humans and animals. Getting back to Jane Goodall, whose work with chimps is extremely relevant to this question. Jane went to Zambia in the early 1960s. This was after WWII and during the Vietnam War. Many people held a rather pessimistic view of human nature at this point. Especially since we had now invented a technology (nuclear weapons) capable of wiping out virtually all life on the planet. It was thought that the ability to "wage war" was something only humans did, but then in 1964 Goodall and her team observed some very violent group behavior among the chimps that included murder and even cannibalism. So, in the light of these observations, it seems the tendency towards violence is something we share with animals. If we take away the technology, and simply look at what motivates behavior (territorialism, access to resources, safety, reproduction), the difference between humans and animals all but vanishes, or does it? Humans are not the only animals to display altruistic behavior. Elephants, for example, are known to mourn their dead and put themselves in harm’s way to help another. They have even been known to go out of their way to protect a human from danger (not even a member of their own species!). Will humans take it a step further? Can we set aside our own desires to the degree necessary for the rest of the species on this planet to thrive? So, are Humans special? Different, in some fundamental way from the rest of the Animal Kingdom? Or, are we just somewhat clever animals who have learned a few "tricks"? I must make the argument that the latter is closer to the truth. I know, many of you are not going to like hearing this. I'm certain the majority view is on the side of Humans being special in some way, but I have been looking in to this question for some time now and while the differences between Humans and animals may seem obvious they are often illusory or simply a matter of degree. The similarities between humans and our animal cousins are far more numerous and often hidden. A biologist will be more aware than the average person of these hidden similarities on the internal, cellular, and even chemical level between Humans and the rest of life on this planet. Many, perhaps even most, of you will cling to the notion that Humans are special despite the evidence. Some even go so far as to say that our species is not even from this planet, that we were either brought here or genetically altered by a superior alien species. Most people I ask this question say humans are special, mainly due to our "intelligence". The two main lines of evidence for our superior intelligence are, usually, our use of symbols (language), and our ability to build things (technology). It is precisely in these two areas that, in my view, Humans display not necessarily a superior intelligence, but possibly a deeply flawed intelligence. It would be useful at this point to define intelligence. I would like to use the word intelligence in its highest sense, synonymous with wisdom. What would the Alien-from-off-planet's assessment of our true intelligence be? "Well, they certainly are clever, look at all that technology they've built. However, they seem to have a hard time figuring out which technologies are safe to use. Did you see that Fukushima thing?! And, what about all that hardware they invented just to kill each other with. Look at what they are doing to the ecosystems of the planet. Don't they realize they depend on those for their own survival? They've already caused the extinction of thousands of species. Their population is still increasing, isn't it?" Yes, I'm afraid their assessment would be that we are definitely smart, we can figure things out, but as for true intelligence - not so much. What about our use of symbolic language? Is this a sign of true intelligence? It is impossible to talk about symbols without talking about the organizations that Humans have created through the use of symbolic language. Religion, government, corporations, science and art, are the institutions Humans have created through the use of symbolic language. What use has been made of this unique ability, this ability to communicate at such a detailed and abstract level? Looking at human society objectively, government and religion seem to have the greatest effect on Human life. It is what these institutions have done using symbolic language, combined with technology, and the tendency towards violence that is the primary concern here. The violence Jane Goodall observed among chimpanzees was different from the violence carried out by Humans. The chimps seemed indifferent to it, neither proud nor ashamed of what they had done. They are shown sharing the carcass of another chimp they had killed in the same way they would share bananas. The warfare among the chimps seems to have been motivated by territorialism, an effort to control the resources in an area. When Humans are motivated by their government to engage in violence against their fellow humans they often react in ways that are much different from the way animals deal with violence. Some seem to actually enjoy killing, or are motivated (through the use of symbolic language) to feel it is their duty to kill. They are serving a "higher calling", either to their god or to their government. Sometimes, they are motivated to go far beyond what is necessary in the service of their country, their king, or their god. People celebrate their violence, give awards for it, and take it to grotesque extremes through the use of technology. The point here is that Humankind's use of violence has been enabled to far surpass that which is seen in the animal kingdom through the use of both technology (to increase the scale of the destruction) and symbolic language (to provide the justification for levels of violence that would not otherwise make sense). Humans do have the potential to act on motivations which transcend our "animal" instincts, but the instincts seem to be winning out. We have incredible imagination and creativity. We need to develop more wisdom to go along with our cleverness. And, finally, we must realize that our fate as a species is one and the same as that of the other species we share this planet with. The human species has tremendous power, tremendous potential. The only question is to what use it will be put.
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Dear Student,
Welcome back to school. I want to share something with you about my philosophy of education. I believe in “student centered” education. There are some things I believe are good for education and other things that are obstacles to education. Sometimes in my job, I am asked to do things and support things which I don’t necessarily believe are good for education. One thing I disagree with is to force people to do things. This is a problem already because in the United States, and most other countries, children are required to go to school. This is called “compulsory” education. Compulsory education is incompatible with truly student centered education. I believe education and learning come from within. You decide that you want to learn about something, and your education begins. A teacher is an expert, someone who can help you learn, only after you have made that decision. Another practice I am uncomfortable with is the excessive testing. I believe my number one “customer” is you, my student. Do you know how you did on the AZ Merit Test last year? A teacher’s first responsibility is to his or her students and their parents. This is what “student centered” education means to me. Most good teachers have their own ways of “testing” students’ progress with the material. This is called assessment. There are many ways to assess learning, testing is only one. Much of this testing is meant for someone else somewhere else, not for you. Look around at the society we are living in. Did you watch the “news”? Are we healthy? What about our environment? How is all this working out for us and the rest of life on the planet? Do we need to educate people to merely fit in to the existing society, the existing governments, the existing corporations, the existing transportation systems, the existing food production, the existing schools? Or, do we need to educate people who are able to think out of the existing box, who can invent better ways of doing things, who can find solutions to problems that have eluded us up to now. In short, people who are able to think for themselves. I want you to think for yourself. So, I hope that you will make the decision to learn. We need you! No, school is not perfect, there are many problems with the system. Yes, you may be asked to do things you don’t like. But, above all, I hope you come to value education, learn about the things you are interested in, and grow to your full potential as a human being. Remember, school and education are not the same thing. I am confident I can speak for the other teachers when I tell you that you are number one. We are here for you, more than anything else. Hope you have an excellent school year, Sincerely, Mr. Ludwig |
AuthorCurrently teaching High School Environmental Science and Biology. Archives
March 2024
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