The Human Animal (Animals)

by David Turell , Friday, June 04, 2010, 01:34 (5285 days ago) @ George Jelliss


> However, like all religions they seem to take the ideas to an extreme.
> 
> I think we have to be realistic in our relations with animals, 
> and recognise that we like them are part of the food chain. 
> It is a part of being human that we recognise our animal nature, 
> and try to come to terms with it, although we may aspire to become 
> some form of higher angelic incorporeal being, we cannot escape the 
> heritage of evolution and our material nature.-I have to agree with George, something unusual for this website. Animals are sentient, but they do not have the level of consciousness and introspective ability that we humans have. This has undoubtedly led to the fantasies in the various theologies. We do have our animal background; we are the result of animal evolution, but we been given the magnificent gift of an enormous brain, and we should be able to raise ourselves above the animal level. Unfortunately, as dhw points out, there is human cruelty in the world that results in human suffering. In disagreement with George, what I have just stated above shows we have more than a material nature.