Human Vs. Animal...Who is Superior?

[Jazzy]

We as the human race, have self-proclaimed ourselves as the superior over the animal species on this earth...but is that actually true?

 

[Evil Eye]

On some levels... everyone's good at something else

 

[Temerit]

Humans are superior. Don't understand the logic behind the question really. Humans can use tools, have extremely far developed symantic memory pathways, we need only two limbs for walking, we have a highly developed immune system and can eat a wide range of foods.

 

[Evil Eye]

<.< >.>

If anybody's going to bring up intelligence I'm going to make a reference to So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish! Don't force me

 

[The Dragon Master]

Humans are superior. Don't understand the logic behind the question really. Humans can use tools, have extremely far developed symantic memory pathways, we need only two limbs for walking, we have a highly developed immune system and can eat a wide range of foods.

Animal's are just as intelligent as us. Even though we can use tools, animals can be trained to do so to. Like otter's who use rocks to smash open oysters. And mokey's who use sticks to draw out termites to eat. It has also been proven that animal's have good memories like us, when sheep were given two pictures (one picture was of a sheep that was in their heard, the other wasn't), the sheep identified correctly the picture of the sheep that was in their heard. Animals will also remember what to eat and what not to eat. Most animal's also have a highly developed immune system and they come into contact with different types of viruses/bacteria than us humans (even though I'm slightly confused about what immune systems have to do with intelligence). Plus, most animals have a varied diet, we're only different as we cook ours and prepare it in different ways.



If we were stripped of all our modern technology and given basic survival skills. Animals would come out top every time.

 

[Temerit]

even though I'm slightly confused about what immune systems have to do with intelligence

Oh sorry, I thought the topic was discussing superiority, not intelligence...

If we were stripped of all our modern technology and given basic survival skills. Animals would come out top every time.

Not at all actually. How do you figure this? With a mere spear, a human can fight off a vast majority of the species in the animal kingdom. If you think animals would come out on top every time, how do you think we got into the position we are in today? Take into account also that we started out in Africa, the most hostile continent on the planet.

It has also been proven that animal's have good memories like us

We have a much more developed semantic memory pathway, used for Involves words, symbols, etc.

Short-term and working memory, requires strong intrinsic motivation, need big picture/global to aid recall organize material again and again, use spaced learning, peer teaching, and cliffhangers.

Like otter's who use rocks to smash open oysters.

Instinctual.

Plus, most animals have a varied diet, we're only different as we cook ours and prepare it in different ways.

You guys know I meant all of those characteristics in one organism right? There are plenty of other things I didn't list.

If anybody's going to bring up intelligence I'm going to make a reference to So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish! Don't force me

Humans are far more intelligent than any other animal.

Shall I begin the (lengthy) list of animals who can do all of these things that you attribute only to humans?? What makes you think we have the market cornered on the things you list?

Again, I meant all of those things in one organism, in addition to our superior intellect.

 

[The Dragon Master]

Not at all actually. How do you figure this? With a mere spear, a human can fight off a vast majority of the species in the animal kingdom. If you think animals would come out on top every time, how do you think we got into the position we are in today? Take into account also that we started out in Africa, the most hostile continent on the planet.

Aye, but that was back then. But if you think about it, predatorial animals have been hunting for hundreds of years more than us. Our old survival skills are no longer needed in modern society, and if modern society collapsed and everything turned back to grassland/forest/wasteland etc, millions of us would be picked off before we could do something. Spears may work on some animals but not all, preditors have different modes of attacking prey (i.e. stealth attacks). In some situations spears are of no use at all. Granted, we may have only got how we are by outsmarting the rest of the animal kingdom, not by batteling our way to the top of the food chain, like every other preditor does.

We have a much more developed semantic memory pathway, used for Involves words, symbols, etc.

Short-term and working memory, requires strong intrinsic motivation, need big picture/global to aid recall organize material again and again, use spaced learning, peer teaching, and cliffhangers.

Monkey's can use language. They can't speak it, but they can use sign language. And to remember all the symbols they've had to develop more complicated memory pathways to cope.

Instinctual.

How is it? It's more of a learned behaviour. All it took was on Otter to notice that smashing the oyster of a rock opens it, then it tought that to it's baby otters. And if using tools is instincutal, then we are no different, in that aspect of behaviour, than other animals that use tools.

Humans are far more intelligent than any other animal.

What about Dolphin's? They're supposed to have a similar intellect as humans.

 

[Evil Eye]

Humans are far more intelligent than any other animal.

Dum dum dum! *grabs book.*

What about Dolphin's? They're supposed to have a similar intellect as humans.

Spot on.





Ok, it wasn't So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish... But here's the quote:

For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.

 

[Temerit]

to grassland/forest/wasteland etc, millions of us would be picked off before we could do something. Spears may work on some animals but not all, preditors have different modes of attacking prey (i.e. stealth attacks). In some situations spears are of no use at all. Granted, we may have only got how we are by outsmarting the rest of the animal kingdom, not by batteling our way to the top of the food chain, like every other preditor does.

Ok, humans living without modern civilization in North America.... what threats are there exactly to their survival? I think they would get along just fine.



Instead of replying to your responses I'm going to ask.... what exactly do we mean here by the word superior?

 

[nolvorite]

We're smarter, we have more tactics, and therefore more likely to survive than animals. But of course we can't live without them.

 

[Corleone]

Humans are superior. We have more knowledge and resources, therefore, we're superior.

When apes rule the world, let me know. Darn those apes!

 

[Kasynlie]

Animals cannot save themselves. Only humans can save the animals from extinction... and the planet.

 

[Pulse]

Humans are pitiful creature. We liter and create hazard to the world and the animals are just there picking up our liter. We play god towards the world. And still we can careless. Because it's for the better of our needs.. not theirs. To improve our lazy selves. Superior.. my arse.

 

[Temerit]

Fool, its not as if animals have the capacity or thought or the means to litter or do damage to the planet.



Yes, we have our flaws, but its not like if any animal gained intelligence on par with ours that they would behave any differently.



What is so lazy about me?

We play god towards the world

We pretend we are a magic sky monster?

 

[Pulse]

I'm not talking about some magical creature above the skies. What you and I define as a God is different. =/



I don't know what is lazy about you. You as one human, I wouldn't care.



*waits to be quoted*

 

[Phazite]

It makes no sense to me to say that something is just plain superior over something else. Superior at what in what respect? That's a better question.