At our core---are we animal?

[Henneth Annun]

Reading "The Island of Dr.Moreau" has given me the idea for this thread. What are we at our core? In the book, Dr. Moreau turns tries with varying degrees of sucsess to turn animals into humans, bringing up the idea to me that at our core, all our instincts and primitive emotions, are from animals. We, humans and animals, exhibit the same basic emotions. As the life of these newly created "humans", who look more like demented hybrids with humanoid shapes, more and more of their animal nature surfaces and they turn back into the beasts they once were.

Discuss:
What are we at our core? Do we come from animals or from a god/gods who made us like animals or seperated us from them? What seperates us from them and are we so very different? What makes us the same? We kill, we eat, we find mates, and know fear as do animals, but "are we not men?"How far away are we from beasts or is there some gift or some divine spark wich seperates us?  

[-Resurrected Writer-]

In many ways, humans are. It's not like we came from the dirt; it's not like we can't die; it's not like we function without skeletal structure and vital organs; it's not like we never give in to instincts.

But it could be argued that humans bear fewer qualities to animals, as we (in terms of human achievements throughout history) possess creative thought and insight, and therefore were probably crafted with a purpose by a higher power.  

[GilAskan]

"What makes humans human?" is a long standing philosophical question, and one which is inherently tied into the question of "What seperates humans and everything else?".

There are certain traits that directly seperate us from all other species-

1) We create art.
2) We create law, and in turn, have systems of ethics and punishment.
3) We create fire.
4) We wear clothes, even when unneeded (such as on a comfortable spring day).
5) We cook our food.

However, whether these are constructs of the group or constructs of the individual? That's more arguable. Will a human unable to cook their food cease to eat? No. Will a human unable to create art cease to live? No.

Stripped of the capability to preform these tasks, we become all the more animal. Which also brings forth the question, "Are we trying to become more, or just trying to avoid becoming less?".

...and yes, I know I'm bringing forth more questions, rather than giving my opinion on the subject at hand.  

[Rellik San]

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.  

[GilAskan]

Rellik San

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.

Sleep is pretty high on that list as well.  

[LadyAmamizu]

Humans are still animals.  

[zz1000zz]

Rellik San

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.

I deny it. Are you calling me a liar?  

[babygurl927]

All in all we are animals, but worse. We have the capacity understand killing and rape and stuff is wrong yet we continue doing these things. Animals kill only for protection and food. When backed into a corner we come out fighting just like an animal. We live, we die, everything is the same except are brains more developed. I still think animals are the smarter species.  

[Rellik San]

zz1000zz

Rellik San

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.

I deny it. Are you calling me a liar?

So you have no desire to eat and to seek a mate?

So you want to starve a lonely person do you?

I doubt that, so yes I'm calling you out.  

[GilAskan]

babygurl927

All in all we are animals, but worse. We have the capacity understand killing and rape and stuff is wrong yet we continue doing these things. Animals kill only for protection and food. When backed into a corner we come out fighting just like an animal. We live, we die, everything is the same except are brains more developed. I still think animals are the smarter species.

We're also the only species capable of resisting our "animal urges".

There are no other carnivores or herbivores that choose not to eat meat.

There are no animals that abstain from sex knowing that they would be unable to care for a newborn.  

[Henneth Annun]

babygurl927

All in all we are animals, but worse. We have the capacity understand killing and rape and stuff is wrong yet we continue doing these things. Animals kill only for protection and food. When backed into a corner we come out fighting just like an animal. We live, we die, everything is the same except are brains more developed. I still think animals are the smarter species.

It's not that they're smarter, they don't even consider other options. I say we have the superior intelligence, but are capable of doing incredibly stupid things due to crappy judgement and the "other options" that tempt us, which may or may not fulfil our basic needs. It could be argued both ways, for who's smarter.  

[zz1000zz]

Rellik San

zz1000zz

Rellik San

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.

I deny it. Are you calling me a liar?

So you have no desire to eat and to seek a mate?

So you want to starve a lonely person do you?

I doubt that, so yes I'm calling you out.

Would you mind not offering straw men? You said "the two strongest human urges," and i disagreed. I never said i do not feel those urges at all, simply they are not the strongest for me.

For the record though, i am incapable of feeling hunger, so at least on that one the answer is certainly no.  

[Rellik San]

zz1000zz

Rellik San

zz1000zz

Rellik San

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.

I deny it. Are you calling me a liar?

So you have no desire to eat and to seek a mate?

So you want to starve a lonely person do you?

I doubt that, so yes I'm calling you out.

Would you mind not offering straw men? You said "the two strongest human urges," and i disagreed. I never said i do not feel those urges at all, simply they are not the strongest for me.

For the record though, i am incapable of feeling hunger, so at least on that one the answer is certainly no.

But I assume thats down to a medical condition, not a mental one?  

[DioRte]

We're animals, period.  

[zz1000zz]

Rellik San

zz1000zz

Rellik San

zz1000zz

Rellik San

Simply put the two strongest human urges... no matter how much we deny it.

Eat
Procreate.

So the answer is yes.

I deny it. Are you calling me a liar?

So you have no desire to eat and to seek a mate?

So you want to starve a lonely person do you?

I doubt that, so yes I'm calling you out.

Would you mind not offering straw men? You said "the two strongest human urges," and i disagreed. I never said i do not feel those urges at all, simply they are not the strongest for me.

For the record though, i am incapable of feeling hunger, so at least on that one the answer is certainly no.

But I assume thats down to a medical condition, not a mental one?

In either event, it would serve to disprove your point.