What distinguishes humanity from all other forms of life?
I mean, 1. Without any controversy -- everyone agrees.
2. Absolutely, not just more (or less) of something.
Examples are needed to tell what in the dickens I'm talking about!
Communications/speech does not qualify; many animals (most?) communicate
with one another quite well.
Self-awareness does not qualify; each of us knows bout
his own self-awareness; most extend it to other humans
on the basis of "reasonable guess," and because sophism
does not seem to lead anywhere. But we don't know how to measure
it -- or even see if it exists -- in anything but ourselves!
Bi-pedalism? I doubt it.
Opposable thumb? Nope.
Tool-maker? Close, but no cigar.
Humans dance. But so do some whales/dolphins/other animals.
Humans decorate things -- art. So do some birds.
Humans play. So do kittens.
Humans practice skills. So do bear cubs.
Humans enjoy beauty -- sunsets, for example. But so
do bears and chimps. See the book WHEN ELEPHANTS WEEP.
Humans bury their dead. But so do elephants.
Humans practice cross-species acts of altruism. But this
has also been observed in elephant behavior. WEW tells the story
of an elephant trying to rescue a baby hippo -- even when being
attacked by the hippo's mother!
Are there any? I have thought of three.
1. Humans enjoy representational art. Paintings that "look like"
reality. Does any other life form do this?
2. Humans enjoy drama -- plays. Don't know about other life forms.
3. This is the only one I'm reasonably confident about.
Humans wear clothes. At least enough clothes to
cover their (adult) genitals. We have some sense of
modesty (shame?) and so this is worldwide. We have
"invented" a new concept unknown in the non-human
world -- that of obscenity, or pornography. (?) I don't
know of any non-human life form with a similar practice.
Nor can I think of any other absolutely-accepted difference.
Can you?
Burgy