To be human, in the most basic sense, is to belong to the genus homo. To the majority, this is the underlying qualification to be human-like but will then associate with numerous characteristics they identify to be human such as higher level reasoning, wide ranges of emotions, or complex social interactions. But to attribute any of these to other species usually comes with resistance, especially if it was thought to be specific to humans. I don’t believe it’s neither fair nor right to consider any other species human since that puts humans on a pedestal and acting as if calling other species human is like bestowing an honour onto them for being, to the greatest extent, like us. This is not only an ethnocentric view, but also one of ignorance
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The chimpanzees display a multitude of characteristics and activities similar to humans, but that shouldn’t change anything with the definition of being human. Although, chimpanzees have been found to be extremely close relatives of modern humans, it’s possible that in the near future chimpanzees are included in the taxonomical definition of what it means to be human if added to the homo genus. If anything the film should invoke personal reflection on the viewer and our species in general. The definition of being human, in other words, at its core is a member of the homo genus, but the definition becomes more specific to include certain traits depending on the culture and the person asked varying widely across the globe. I don’t think that being human should be culturally defined or more complex than the core biological or taxonomical definition. The events that transpire when a group encounters another that doesn’t fit into their definition of what a human is has been observed throughout history and often ends in disaster for one or both groups. Whether one group has advanced technology or not, conflict will generally follow as well as dehumanization of the opposing group due to the fact that they do not fit into their definition. This has happened not only with indigenous …show more content…
The consequences, as they’ve been seen, are devastating to entire populations of people when they do not fit into the dominant group’s definition of what it is to be human. Even the existence of such a definition can create extreme divides between groups leading to ethnocentrism. This, in turn, usually leads to mistreatment of the group viewed as inferior and occasionally genocide. Setting humans at the top of the evolutionary chain and comparing all other species to us promotes the idea that all species are moving towards “humanity”. This frame of mind allows for ethical torture and caging of all other species that are considered to be below humans, which would be considered a crime if done to other humans, in the majority of cases. Allowing and encouraging this thinking opens the door to the destruction of environments and habitats of other species in order to further individual interests of humans but not the population as a whole. Ultimately, this misunderstanding of the environment and our role in it will lead to humanity destroying or using all of the resources available and, most likely,
The chimpanzees display a multitude of characteristics and activities similar to humans, but that shouldn’t change anything with the definition of being human. Although, chimpanzees have been found to be extremely close relatives of modern humans, it’s possible that in the near future chimpanzees are included in the taxonomical definition of what it means to be human if added to the homo genus. If anything the film should invoke personal reflection on the viewer and our species in general. The definition of being human, in other words, at its core is a member of the homo genus, but the definition becomes more specific to include certain traits depending on the culture and the person asked varying widely across the globe. I don’t think that being human should be culturally defined or more complex than the core biological or taxonomical definition. The events that transpire when a group encounters another that doesn’t fit into their definition of what a human is has been observed throughout history and often ends in disaster for one or both groups. Whether one group has advanced technology or not, conflict will generally follow as well as dehumanization of the opposing group due to the fact that they do not fit into their definition. This has happened not only with indigenous …show more content…
The consequences, as they’ve been seen, are devastating to entire populations of people when they do not fit into the dominant group’s definition of what it is to be human. Even the existence of such a definition can create extreme divides between groups leading to ethnocentrism. This, in turn, usually leads to mistreatment of the group viewed as inferior and occasionally genocide. Setting humans at the top of the evolutionary chain and comparing all other species to us promotes the idea that all species are moving towards “humanity”. This frame of mind allows for ethical torture and caging of all other species that are considered to be below humans, which would be considered a crime if done to other humans, in the majority of cases. Allowing and encouraging this thinking opens the door to the destruction of environments and habitats of other species in order to further individual interests of humans but not the population as a whole. Ultimately, this misunderstanding of the environment and our role in it will lead to humanity destroying or using all of the resources available and, most likely,