All of us, which belong to the human species, can also be considered animals. Why not? It is not something offensive; we are only another different species, which have different qualities and capacities. One of the most important, that I agree, is the use of our verbal language, including all the different ones that exist; taught to us by our parents from generation to generation, and that we ameliorate in school.
Even the German modern thinker Ernst Cassirer called us a “Symbolic Animal”, because of this use of language, that he called symbols. Symbols are signs that represent something; the most used are the words and numbers. I agree with his statement, because we are a species of animal, and we do communicate by symbols, that constitute the different languages.
One thing that has not yet a clear answer, only hypotheses, is the origin of these languages. I suppose that it started with the first humans, that made some sounds or drawings to represent things, and with time it was ameliorated, and then evolved into different ancient language. After this, I think it continued to evolve and expand, until these languages that we, humans, use nowadays. There are many doubts surroundings the origin of the languages, and the only thing we can give are hypotheses, nothing more because nobody is sure. Everyone have their own hypothesis on this.
Even the German modern thinker Ernst Cassirer called us a “Symbolic Animal”, because of this use of language, that he called symbols. Symbols are signs that represent something; the most used are the words and numbers. I agree with his statement, because we are a species of animal, and we do communicate by symbols, that constitute the different languages.
One thing that has not yet a clear answer, only hypotheses, is the origin of these languages. I suppose that it started with the first humans, that made some sounds or drawings to represent things, and with time it was ameliorated, and then evolved into different ancient language. After this, I think it continued to evolve and expand, until these languages that we, humans, use nowadays. There are many doubts surroundings the origin of the languages, and the only thing we can give are hypotheses, nothing more because nobody is sure. Everyone have their own hypothesis on this.
I agree with you in the fact that what makes us human is our language. With it, we can communicate whatever we want to communicate, from something productive and kind, to something mean and disrespectful. We can communicate what we feel, what we need, whatever we like. On the other hand animals only communicate what they need to communicate; they are guided by their basic survival instincts. I think that is one of the main differences between animals and us, our language make more complex than animals.
ResponderEliminarAnthony what you say about that humans came from another specie I agree with you. As the time passes we are evolving and having mutations that will make us what we are right now. Many DNA mutations we are having actually. We are evolving and changing. Animals also do this, but their system is more simple. The languages were passed from generation to generation, and we are still modifying the system. The simple goal of an animal is to survive, and we as a humans have many goals in life because are brain is more sophisiticated and we have inteligence.
ResponderEliminarIt is very uncommon to think about all this you mention Anthony. It seems to me that the question you postulated is a very difficult one. I don't know if we are the only animals with Language. Many people would consider an offense to tell them animals, like when you want to humiliate somebody or mean like : you are an irrational person , or a person who do not think, then we call them animals. As you say, we should not act like this, if we are so understanding why we keep being offended by being compared with other organisms. For many people it is uncomfortable.
ResponderEliminarAs Anthony said I do think we can be considered animals but we have evolved more than other species. Millions of years ago we were very similar with what is now the specie "banaboo" (sorry I dont remember how to spell the name) but we have learn and evolve a lot much more than they have so maybe we are just another specie smarter than every other in the planet and this is why we have been exciting through the years and is very hard for us to disappear. I think in the past we could be animals but now we are not anymore becasuse of our language and our way to comunicate.
ResponderEliminarI have to agree with anthony, we are being compared with animals. There is an animal that has 97% of our DNA and he also has a lot of human tendencies. You also mention that language was used and it helped a lot for the humans and animals and also the term "objectify".
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