Compare and Contrast Humans to Animals Essay

The Similarities and Differences Between Humans and Animals

Humans and animals have lived side by side since the dawn of time, and the correlation between humans and animals have primarily defined the ecosystem that they all live in and coexist. Human beings and animals have both similarities and differences. Compared to animals, human beings share most of the fundamental characteristics of survival and procreation with animals. These characteristics include the awareness of each's surrounding, the craving for food, and the urge for companionship amongst similar species. When these fundamentals are broken down to specifics, and how they achieve them, the differences between humans and animals emerge.

Animals have exhibited genetic, physiological, and similarity to human beings. Similar to the human body, most animal bodies are made of bones and flesh. Humans also share the same genetic make-up to some animals, the closest ones being the chimpanzees. They are humans' evolutionary cousins; whose genetic make-up is roughly 98% to 99% identical the humans' (Fitzgerald and Emily 338). Domestication of animals has also brought about an aspect of similarity between humans and animals. Dogs, for example, share a significant amount of similarity with humans. Humans have spent many years shaping the domesticated dog's genome through selective breeding, to make the dog an ideal companion. To the current age, dogs have developed an extraordinary ability to understand the social cues embedded in subtle human behavior, such as eye gaze. Such similarities contribute to favoring these animals as companions. The need for shelter and a place to stay is another characteristic, both animals and humans share. These shelters provide safe heavens where they raise their offspring.

The Role of Language and Culture

The human brain is what amounts to the difference between animals and human beings. The human brain, being capable of comprehending obstructions and symbols, it created language. Language is defined as a communication instrument that enables people to communicate and understand the environment. It represents a specific society's cultural background and separates human beings from other animals. Social existence amongst human beings is through language communication; therefore, language can be considered to be a distinguishing factor when comparing human beings to animals. However, it is noticeable that every other animal also communicates by using various constructions of inherent communication mechanisms. The distinguishing factor is that communication between animals is not so creative and flexible as human communication. Human beings also developed and embraced a culture, which lacks in any other animal.

Human beings are capable of transforming reality through practice and the use of actions and reflection (Freire 79). Unlike animals, humans manufacture material goods and not just tangible objects, but also social institutions, concepts, and ideas. Also, humans can objectify their actions and themselves. This capability enables humans to try and mentalize time into the past, present, and future. The capacity is an extension of awareness which animals are not capable of, as they exist in the overall present.

Conclusion

In conclusion, human beings are an advanced species when compared to animals. Consciousness is what makes the difference. Human beings can use their awareness to plan and alter the norms governing social systems and therefore, reality.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Emily A. "ApeRsonhood." The Review of Litigation, vol. 34, no. 2, 2015, pp. 337-378. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/1698197002?accountid=45049.

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy Of The Oppressed. Bloomsbury, 2017, p. 79.