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Nov 20, 2008 @ 05:13:35

#31

AgentSmith

Mega Über-Meister
4058 points

29/M/,
Join Date: Aug 2008

boobagins said:

Interesting you say that because the difference between animals and humans......is mainly the social aspect.....

Humans strive forward for a social aspect

Animals just try to survive.

I agree. Animals need to adapt much faster to survive or overtake others in the competitive world of evolution. Social existence works very well, even if it is as rudimentary as a shoal of fish. There is an {i]advantage in numbers.
However, the fact can not be overlooked that social existence helps to achieve selfish objectives.

Don't be silly, honey. Men don't fly

AgentSmith last visited December 25, 2008

Nov 20, 2008 @ 12:15:25

#32

buffalobill90

Minister
12240 points

18/M/Whitehaven, United Kingdom
Join Date: Jun 2007

A person is a moral agent. The only criterion for moral agency is the ability to suffer. If an entity can suffer, they deserve respect and consideration.

Most non-human animals do not fulfil this criterion because they lack the cerebral apparatus necessary so sustain conscious sensation of stimuli. There are some notable exceptions such as cetaceans, the other apes and possibly corvids.

buffalobill90 last visited January 05, 2009

Nov 20, 2008 @ 12:26:38

#33

Fenix2011

Über-Commander
138 points

17/M/, Australia
Join Date: Nov 2008

You can not definitively say what a person is, even if you restrict a person to being a human, the complexities of our society, environment, and just overall day to day life is to much for a single definition

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