Instinct vs. Intelligence
So I asked people to weigh in with their thoughts on what makes us human. Didn’t get many responses, but on with the show.
So what, exactly, makes us qualify as human? You could take the point that our genetics makes us human. After all, human is a term to define a species, and that species is defined by its biological makeup. Perhaps you could ascribe to that view, but then you fail to see the other meaning of the word human. To be human and to be a human are two different things. You are a human because of your genetics, but what makes you human? What makes us so much better than every other animal on this planet?
One of the most common arguments I’ve heard is that we are seperated from the rest of the animal kingdom is our ability to form a bigger picture of things. To ignore our instincts and understand the consequences of our actions, to foresee what lies ahead. This, I would agree with.
After all, seeing the bigger picture is what lets us realise that other need our help. A dog doesn’t understand that. A dog simply looks out for itself, its pups and (if in the wild) its pack. The weak are left behind. But we don’t do that. We look after our sick and elderly. We look after our weak and helpless. We can understand that if there’s food on a shelf and someone nearby is hungry, we offer them food (unless you’re an asshole, in which case shame on you). A dog would simply rip open the wrapper and have a nice feast for itself. It’s not being selfish, it simply can’t comprehend that the food might be meant for something else. There is food, he is hungry. He will eat.
We can look at a piece of art and understand (or at least theorise as to) the meaning behind it. We can listen to a piece of music and figure out the motivation. We can read the news, watch TV and fit it all into the bigger picture of our existence. We can analyse a thousand different things and imagine a million different outcomes and work it all into one tidy image with a purpose.
Is this what makes us different? Our ability to understand the greater meaning behind the world around? If, of course, we can even understand that meaning. But you do understand what I’m saying don’t you?
We are sentient more than sapient. A dog struggles with instinct, and while it may be intelligent it is incapable of the degree of thought, of application of meaning that we are. It hears a threat and reacts then and there. We hear a threat and judge the correct course of action.
To me, it is that which makes us human. Our ability to analyse, piece together and to apply purpose and meaning.
And not, as some people say, our ability to feel emotions…
See you on Friday.
2 Responses to “Instinct vs. Intelligence”
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Just had a heated argument with one of my classmates a couple of hours ago about this!!
My stand, humans are like any other ANIMALS. This fact we forget. We and they are animals. Each excelling in their own fields. Einstein may not have been able do a 100m sprint in under 10s but by that can we say that Usain Bolt is better in all respects?
About protection, try attacking even a hurt beast form a herd of wilder beast heard and I can assure you that you’ll get seriously hurt. There are many examples of protective social behavior seen in the ‘wild’.
About cognitive thinking, I feel that it is only a consequence of a larger brain as a giraffe is able to see predators farther due to its long neck ,or an lemur is able to traverse the forest canopies at great speeds owing to their tails.
Diff.Thinkr´s last blog ..Forget not thy root
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