[MD] Social level for humans only

[John Carl]

Hi horse,


>
>  I'm not trying to imply that humans are necessarily superior to other
> animals and therefore have some sort of god given right to dominion over
> them and the way we treat them as the bible seems to imply, just that there
> is a different and additional level of development brought about through
> evolution and natural selection.




Dominion as described in the bible isn't a "right".  It's just a fact.
 Birds fly, fish swim, man thinks.  It's just in the nature of things that
intellectual thought gives power to man to also fly higher than the birds,
swim deeper than the fish and pretty much dominate the planet.




>
>  Music and art? Maybe, except birds sing and so to whales.
>>
>
> Birds and whales make sounds which are, in general, fixed and limited in
> scope and range. There is little variation in their repertoire and it is
> generally for the purposes of attracting mates, alerting others to danger or
> summoning the offspring. Whale sound may sound like music but that is mainly
> human interpretation.



Whale songs are something of a mystery, since we don't understand them and
their brains are as big (bigger in fact) than ours.  Do coyotes howl just
for utilitarian purposes?  Or do they also do it when they feel good?

I agree that we can't definitely assign human reasonings to animal
behaviors.  But this cuts both ways - their emotionality and expression
remain mysterious and open to interpretation.


At a biological level I agree and even at a primitive (and sometimes not so
> primitive) social level I agree. But once we come to intellect then I'd
> disagree. There is no evidence for any animal, other than humans, that show
> this sort of advanced development.
>

Humans alone are intellectual.  This I agree.  It's what grants "dominion".
 Not some divine right.
That's the point I'd make.



> Absolutely. Humans are what they are through the same processes of
> evolution and adaptation as applied to all forms of life on the planet. We
> are not to be 'privileged' because we are created in 'His' image or favoured
> because we we can create nifty digital watches. Everything about man and
> animals is equally from a natural cause.
>


Umm.... yes.  Natural Cause.  A good, quick term for DQ, ya think?

John