It's that time of year! Everyone's headed back to school. I had my first day of animal ethics on Tuesday. My professor began the first class with an exercise- write down as many animals as you can in thirty seconds! For those of you who know me, this was the most fun I've had in a while. So, I vigorously began to write as many different species I could think of. "Stop! Now write down as many different types of people as you can in 30 seconds. Go!" Okay, not as fun, but I did it. He proceeded to ask the students in the class for the names of the animals that they had assigned to the first category. Answers such as humpback whale, insects, dog, cat, birds, reptiles, and many more were thrown about. He then went on to say, "Okay, does anyone have an animal that they're dying to add?" So I raised my hand and said, "humans." He first gave me a blank stare but then applauded me (and also scolded me a bit) for effectively 'ruining the lesson.' Not a single other student in the class had placed ‘human’ in the category of ‘animals.’
I want to know why. I want to know why humans do not view themselves as animals. The dictionary.com definition of an animal is as follows, “Any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well-defined shape and usually limited growth, can move voluntarily, actively acquire food and digest it internally, and have sensory and nervous systems that allow them to respond rapidly to stimuli.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but this sounds quite human-like to me.
I also know that there are still people that reject the theory of evolution, even with the mass amounts of evidence and support behind it. In 1953 scientists discovered the molecular structure of what is now known as DNA. This molecule has been found in every animal (and plant) and links all organisms back to a common ancestor. Another reason that humans are animals. If we all have a common ancestor, that means we're all related. So, what species is our closest living relative? A recent study has found that chimpanzees/ bonobos and homo sapiens share 96% of their DNA. Let me repeat myself. We are NINETY-SIX PERCENT the same as chimpanzees/ bonobos. Do you consider chimpanzees animals?
Homo sapiens and chimpanzees share a number of behaviors as well as their DNA. Chimpanzees have been shown to exhibit self recognition when looking in a mirror. They mourn the death of their relatives and are capable of using tools to perform tasks. Chimpanzees also exhibit warfare when protecting their relatives and those in their groups. We are more similar than we are different.
I will agree that humans likely experience more complex emotions and thoughts when compared to nonhuman animals. There are certainly a number of aspects that separate humans and other nonhuman animals, but this doesn’t mean that we are any greater or more important than our nonhuman friends. They can feel. They are sentient beings. They are important.
