Humans are animals.
Humans are able to reason, therefore we are not animals.
Reason, or is it instinct? The definition of reason is: 3 the intellectual faculties by which conclusions are drawn from premises. 4 sanity. 6 intuition. 7 sense. Intuition and sense! There is a thin line between instinct and reason.
Wrong my good sir, reason involves logical thinking. To reason is to determine or conclude by logical thinking, deciding, rationality, choice, it is overall free will! Humans stand erect and we as man have highly developed brains enabling our capacity for abstract reasoning, speech, language, and introspection, I can go on and on about what makes us as man superior to animal. Let me ask you this, what is your definition of intelligence?
Well, I believe intelligence involves technology. Intelligence, beside logic and reason, is to take the environment and transform it thus forcing our surroundings to adapt to us rather than us having to adapt to it, if you will. That is all fine and dandy, but Darwin and his theory of evolution will back me when I say that, that the reason for human development all lies within the simple fact that humans have opposable thumbs. With that wonderful little digit, human beings would develop tools for their convenience and with the development of tools comes the ability to learn and retain information. From all that, civilization as we know it today, was born.
You have just proved humans are not animals!
No, I have proved humans were and are still animals. Our kingdom: animalia, our class: mammalia , order: primate, our species: homo sapiens. You see, scientifically you, me, and the rest of human kind are animals. Animals of all classes and species use tools, to build shelter and to gather food, beavers build dams, chimps use sticks to gather ants, and birds have songs and language- as do all animals.
I understand but, animals are not civilized, you clearly pointed that fact out with your explanation of opposable thumbs and tools and what not! So, you say without opposable thumbs an animal cannot be civilized, have no structure or laws? Man does, we have government, and laws, we are civilized.
There are governmental laws and there are laws of nature. The laws of nature also pertain to man. Have you read The Island of Dr. Moreau?
Yes of course, it is a classic in which H. G. Wells depicts man, animal and their unison employed by the mad Dr. Moreau. I am glad you brought this book up, because now, I am able to show you the development of medical science through this book.
This story brought forth the ideas of blood transfusion, reattachment of limbs, organ transplants-
Yes it did however, getting back to laws and civilization, one would notice in reading this book the reversion of the beast folk after the keeper of the law was no longer with the beast folk. The true meaning of this story dares to ask: Are they our laws that keep us civilized… Are they the civil laws or spiritual laws that keep man in order? Wells ask these questions through this story. It is a story of law and government. A story of the economics of order, or is it what keeps man in check? It is upon the arrival back to “civilization” that our dear character sees the truth about man, and civilization, and our “freedom”. He now knows that man and animal are one in the same!
Man or animal? I chose to write my review through dialogue to express the complexity of this issue man or animal faces each day. Wells clearly pondered this thought and realized men are animals. Animals do not have free will and neither do man. We are controlled through a higher, more complex government, which is based on an even more intricate philosophy. Yes man may decide, but there is always a consequence.
Thank you for reading my review on H.G. Wells The Island of Dr. Moreau.