Take a quick look at this article for a scientific approach to some of the traits that separate humans from other animals, and then respond to the following questions.
What are some physical/biological characteristics that distinguish humans from other animals? Do you think there are any other distinctions not covered in the article? How would you define what it means to be human?
67 Comments
Emylee Perkins
8/31/2022 09:12:30 am
Two features of the brain in primates allow them to participate in voluntary behavior rather than instinct, and the brainstem nuclei governing the production of vocal communication is stronger, allowing them to socialize more effectively.
Reply
Carter Caywood
8/31/2022 09:13:51 am
Humans rely on speech to survive in the modern world unlike other animals.One thing not covered in the article would be how humans can drive and I have never seen an animal drive personally. Being human means we are able to have our own characteristics and identity we make for ourselves.
Reply
Wyatt Nelson
8/31/2022 09:20:11 am
Great idea on how the independence and the identity we make for yourself.
Reply
Raelynn
8/31/2022 09:21:56 am
I didnt think about driving, good point.
Reply
Shay Woolf
8/31/2022 09:24:20 am
I hadn't really thought about how much we "rely" on communcation in the current time period. I like how you made that connection.
Reply
Kennedi
8/31/2022 09:30:55 am
I like your definition of humans. We do have more intellectual means and can interact and define ourselves better than other animals.
Reply
Nicolas
9/1/2022 09:20:29 am
That is so true about driving
Reply
Mariah Chatriand
8/31/2022 09:16:28 am
Some physical characteristics that distinguish humans and animals is that humans have hands, we have speech, and humans can blush.
Reply
Wyatt Nelson
8/31/2022 09:22:50 am
Great idea on how we have evolved to build technology.
Reply
Raelynn
8/31/2022 09:23:48 am
Good thought about technology!
Reply
Kennedi
8/31/2022 09:36:08 am
I think that its so cool that animals can build amazing habitats, but that we have been able to create and use our resources and make amazing, huge creations that I don't think animals would ever be able to build things like we can.
Reply
Kanyon Tolman
8/31/2022 09:38:41 am
The building of cities didn't even cross my mind, good thinking.
Reply
Wyatt Nelson
8/31/2022 09:17:31 am
Unlike other primates humans walk upright on two legs. One thing I think that was not covered in this article was that humans rely on each other's advice and opinions to grow and to evolve. I think that being human allows you to act and be indepedent but also rely on others is a big part of being human because everyone interacting together allows you to grow as a whole people.
Reply
Carter Caywood
8/31/2022 09:19:19 am
I like how you added that we need others opinions sometimes even when we don't think we do.
Reply
Carter Bill
8/31/2022 09:45:40 am
I like how you mentioned that being human allows you to act and be independent.
Reply
Emylee Perkins
8/31/2022 09:17:54 am
Separate from other living creatures, humans have the ability to create unspoken social rules and acceptable behaviors through adequate communication, which remains unaddressed within the article. I believe that to be human is to find a philosophy and attempt to harness the knowledge conceivable to mankind in benefit to society and reaching the ultimate goal of life after death, unrestrained by depending on instinct rather than intuition.
Reply
Kanyon Tolman
8/31/2022 09:25:50 am
I didn't even think about the "social rules", also the life after death part is a great insight as well.
Reply
Carson
8/31/2022 09:28:30 am
I like how you put what you think being a human means.
Reply
Daniel Davidson
9/5/2022 08:07:46 pm
Whilst I agree with you in saying that human social rules are more developed than those of other species, I think there are definitely animal societies in which "social rules" play a huge part. An example might be meerkats, who live in colonies and are "governed" by an alpha male and female who retain the right to kick other meerkats out of the colony. Other examples are wolves (who follow simple "pack laws") and crows (who can mob and kill another crow who has wronged them). I really like that you denote that human nature and philosophy are inextricably connected, as well as saying the significance and uniqueness of humans' religious or transcendent beliefs.
Reply
Raelynn
8/31/2022 09:18:58 am
I think the biggest differences between humans and other animals is the fact that we have so many different emotions some of which cause us to outwardly show them in the form of blushing, the ability to use fire, and having long childhoods up to 18 years. I think that another thing that distigushes us from animals is the deep personal connections we make with our close friends and family, our relationship are nothing surface level but instead are built on many layers of trust, respect, and love. I believe being human is all about the relationships, people, and things you surround yourself with unlike many animals we have so many choices when it comes to who is in our lives and who we choose is not.
Reply
Chanci
8/31/2022 09:31:46 am
I agree that being human is deciding who you are and what you choose to do.
Reply
Briella
8/31/2022 09:38:12 am
I love the perspective that we are all about relationships, and I agree.
Reply
Megan Aiello
8/31/2022 09:19:32 am
Some different features that we have is that we are able to make different things and are able to invent things that animals coulden't do in the same way human could. able to comunicate with animals with body language and emotions. I think comunitcating this way wasn't added in the article very much. To be human I think it means that we do and live as animals but in our own way like every species of animal with different roles.
Reply
Mariah Chatriand
8/31/2022 09:23:22 am
I like how you said every animal has their own roles and ways and we live like animals just in our own ways.
Reply
Shay Woolf
8/31/2022 09:19:56 am
Unlike a lot of other animals humans have opposable thumbs, "nakedness", we have an upright stance unlike a lot of other animals, we do not walk on all four appendages. We extra ordinary brains that can accomplish a lot. I think another one that wasn't covered in the article is our ability to be independant, unlike a lot of other species we will branch out from our given group (family) and start a new branch of life. I think to be human it means to have the ability to expirience life for all it is, and hitting the "important" mile stones that are linked with the expirience of being a human.
Reply
Emylee Perkins
8/31/2022 09:29:59 am
I agree that being naked is only socially unacceptable according to humans.
Reply
Megan Aiello
8/31/2022 09:31:58 am
Yeah! That's so interesting!! Its kind of cool to think about how we evolved into humans and our different behavoirs!
Reply
Briella
8/31/2022 09:44:58 am
I like the idea that we can be independent as a species, and I agree to a point, but humans are very social and like to rely on each other. I really liked your comment <3.
Reply
Kanyon Tolman
8/31/2022 09:20:37 am
A physical distinction, is that we walk upright which free up arms for other things, however this is also what makes childbirth so dangerous. Some other distinctions i didn't find in the article, are that we have two different ways of moving on our feet, either flat-footed like walking, or on the balls of our feet while sprinting, while most animals are only able to be on the balls of their feet. Through this article, my interpretation of being human is that unlike most animals, we stress about looks and developing new things. Also, our emotions seem to be at much higher levels, so we also need to look after each other more than most animals.
Reply
Carter Caywood
8/31/2022 09:24:30 am
I didn't even think of the fact that we walk in different ways and can change it.
Reply
Travis
8/31/2022 09:36:17 am
I didn't know walking upright could make childbirth dangerous
Reply
Jonathan Wilson
8/31/2022 10:02:10 am
I didnt think about how we walk upright good thinking!
Reply
Chloe
8/31/2022 09:22:30 am
A few things that separate humans from most animals are bigger brains, long opposable thumbs, and upright posture. A difference in bone structure, and the need for usable hands has resulted in us being primarily bi-pedal; which is also another distinct difference. I think that, in my opinion, this article covered a lot of good points in the argument. Though, I do believe that the author could have gone a little deeper into the social and emotional side of things (more so than the oddity of blushing). I would define being human in a few different ways, but mainly to learn and to adapt. Also to make mistakes, and successes. Is there truly a right way to define what it’s like to be human? You can be a human, and still have no humanity.
Reply
Shay Woolf
8/31/2022 09:25:40 am
Oopsies! I meant to out that on Kanyons!
Reply
Shay Woolf
8/31/2022 09:22:40 am
WOAH! I had no idea that our upright posture made childbirth so dangerous!
Reply
Something that distinguishes humans physically is the brain and the fact that we have much less noticeable hair compared to other animals like apes. Humans also don't reproduce as much as most animals, and they almost always stay with their young until they're ready. some animals just leave their young to fend for themselves. I don't really know how to describe being a human. It's hard to put into words.
Reply
Mariah Chatriand
8/31/2022 09:27:19 am
You made a good point about how other animals usually reproduce more. I've never really realized that before.
Reply
Carson
8/31/2022 09:27:33 am
I hit enter on accident. I think to be a human, it means enjoying all that life has to offer, and that you are unique. You are emotional, and are able to show it, and make it known.
Reply
Chanci
8/31/2022 09:27:42 am
I also had a difficult time defining a human.
Reply
Chanci
8/31/2022 09:24:54 am
Some physical characteristics that differ humans from other primates is that they have bigger brainstem nuclei and cortical association areas. I think humans are also different than other animals because they can memorize many things that have happened in their lives. I believe that to be human is to be in control of your own behavior and be able to dream of the future.
Reply
Emylee Perkins
8/31/2022 09:31:12 am
Humans do have really good memory! There is even a mental disorder where you cannot forget anything at all!
Reply
Kanyon Tolman
8/31/2022 09:47:40 am
Dreams are very important to our lives, but I didn't even think about it, good thinking.
Reply
Eilah Foss
8/31/2022 09:25:08 am
Apart from having major physical differences from other animals such as hair placement or thumbs, humans also have a more complex brain making us have more of a biological difference. Due to our well developed brain, it has made us communicate, invent, and live our day to day lives a lot different than any other animal. Growing up, our brain develops even more so. This allows us to think, feel, and experience things differently compared to anyone else. These individual experiences create unique personalities among each person that I believe makes someone human.
Reply
Britton Hanson
8/31/2022 09:39:26 am
Good job! I liked how you talked about how we have our unique brains and personalities.
Reply
Jonathan Wilson
8/31/2022 10:03:35 am
good job! I like how you talked about different hair placement.
Reply
Kennedi
8/31/2022 09:26:51 am
We as humans, have hands and thumbs that can stretch across our hands. We have small "invisible" hair, but still them same amount of hair. We also have different size pelvis which helps us be able to stand upright unlike other animals. I think the article is pretty spot on, but i don't think we as humans are animals. I think we are kind of made to "rule over" the animals. I don't think we should be set equal to animals.
Reply
Chloe
8/31/2022 09:30:43 am
I agree with you about the article, they had some really good points. Your opinion about us humans being above the animals, is very interesting. I like that you have that idea of us being close in physicality to animals, but being separate from them in many other ways.
Reply
Sean Sapp
8/31/2022 10:26:40 am
I really like how you pointed out that people are created different from other animals because we are, we were made to have more complex thought and emotion and be able to comprehend things like art, music, and religion.
Reply
Briella
8/31/2022 09:28:05 am
Humans have a very different body to every other animal, a surprising amount of differences is just to communicate with each other. Such as talking, pronounced body language, and blushing. The article doesn't include our use of physiology in everyday life. Being human means trying to find a bigger purpose, which most of the time is non-existent.
Reply
Travis
8/31/2022 09:42:36 am
I agree with the part that humans look for the bigger purpose in life
Reply
Brylee Ganske
8/31/2022 09:48:23 am
I like how you decided to word everything.
Reply
Sean Sapp
8/31/2022 10:23:08 am
I think the way you said humans are constantly look for a deeper purpose for why we are on the earth is very observant
Reply
Carter Bill
8/31/2022 09:31:00 am
As humans we are made with more knowledge and having the ability to make things where animals are mostly focused on their physical ability to survive. Our bodies have different features that animals don't due to the fact that we have different ways of living and animals have different different ways of communication. Being human to me is that even though we have some of the same characteristics as animals we have different ways that our body reacts to things and how we can use our brain and hands to do much more technical activities.
Reply
Britton Hanson
8/31/2022 09:37:37 am
Good paragraph! I liked how you talked about how we are more evolved,
Reply
Brylee Ganske
8/31/2022 09:38:50 am
Good job, I think you did a good job.
Reply
Britton Hanson
8/31/2022 09:31:17 am
Humans are not the only animals to have opposable thumbs, most primates do. Humans are unique because we can bring our thumbs all the way across our hands to our ring and little fingers, most primates can't. Humans thumbs are much longer than other primate thumbs. In the article it didn't talk about how we all have different personalities, even animals have different personalities than humans. Being human is unique because we all have a purpose and have some characteristic that just belongs to us.
Reply
Kanyon Tolman
8/31/2022 09:38:50 am
I liked how you mentioned how even though most primates do have opposable thumbs, ours are still a lot more flexible.
Reply
Carter Bill
8/31/2022 09:51:21 am
I like how you mentioned that we aren't the only animals with thumbs.
Reply
Travis
8/31/2022 09:39:34 am
Humans can talk and animals can't. One thing that I think was not mentioned in the artical is that human brains train us to learn more to invent things such as vehicles, technology, skyscrapers ect. to make our future better. A human for me is someone that can choose their own way they want to go in life
Reply
Kanyon Tolman
8/31/2022 09:41:42 am
Good thinking on what it means to be human, I agree.
Reply
Brylee Ganske
8/31/2022 09:46:19 am
We have opposable thumb which allows us to be able to create tools, our brains also help us to think of these tools and adapt to some situations. I am not able to think of anything else that the article didn't have. I think a human being is someone or something that can feel emotions and act on them and use them to adapt, and can also be able to create tools or use them properly and effectively.
Reply
Carter Bill
8/31/2022 09:53:59 am
I like how you said our brains help us think of tools that help us adapt.
Reply
Jonathan.Wilson
8/31/2022 09:57:34 am
Unlike other animals humans have bigger brains and opposable thumbs, we may be called "naked apes" but almost all of us wear clothing. Our bigger brain gives us more knowledge and better problem solving. We are all unique in different ways which makes certain people better at things some of us aren't. Being a human to me is the ability to do so many other things that animals cant which has helped us accomplish so much.
Reply
Sean Sapp
8/31/2022 10:18:52 am
One of the things that I noticed in the article about the differences between humans and other animals is the emotional intelligence, specifically shown in the act of blushing conveying true emotion. I guess it would go with humans having very large brains but I think that the ability to make art with meaning more obvious as a factor setting us apart from other animals. Being human means being able to have complex thought and emotion.
Reply
Daniel Davidson
9/1/2022 08:29:19 am
I think it is very insightful to acknowledge emotional intelligence as a notable distinction between people and animals. Although, it would be incredibly myopic to claim animals don't experience emotion at all, (as, though their moods may be expressed in different ways, such emotions are clearly felt) I believe that the recognition of emotion within oneself is purely a human quality.
Reply
Ava
8/31/2022 10:25:29 am
Humans have opposable thumbs unlike most animals (besides like Monkeys/Apes) and how we express our emotions are pretty different than animals as well. Especially what we deem important as a species. Something that I wish the article went into deeper thought, was the way our brains work compared to animals. Being human means having a deeper knowledge of whats around us, such as morals, religion ect.
Reply
Daniel Davidson
9/1/2022 07:02:12 am
The latter portions of the article (numbers nine and ten) both made points pertaining to home life and childhood development. The ninth section spoke of how humans are distinguished from other animals, primarily primates, by their unusually long maturing time. By surrounding social custom, human children don't leave their family group for roughly 18 years after their birth. The article states that scientists suggest this to be the case, as a result of the high neuron count in our cerebral cortex. The tenth section of the article also relates to family life, as it claims humans are made unique by their extended lifespan (in that it can continue long after bearing children).
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2023
Categories |