According to Darwin's theory of evolution, humans evolved from apes. They mastered a high IQ and thus developed into rulers of the Earth. Humans are also a kind of animal. Like other creatures on Earth, we compete for natural resources to live with other species. But after a long evolution, humans have opened a massive gap in living standards and safety indices with other living creatures. So does this gap represent the superiority of human beings over animals?
When we discuss the distinction between humans and other animals, we should first mention the difference between animal and human intelligence. In contrast, humans' brains are well developed compared to most animals, leading to differences between humans and animals in many ways, such as language, technology, development capabilities, etc.
Language is the most crucial part of society - it is a way people communicate and exchange ideas. The appearance of organizations means the emergence of morals and laws and the transition from chaos to order, which is an integral part of the development of a species. Humans have a complex language system and can communicate with others from other parts of the world. This ability can be seen in certain animals, meaning they have their own complex language.
A study by Con Slobodchikoff, the founder of the Animal Language Institute, studied the complex language of Gunnison’s prairie dog. They have different warning calls for what kind of predator is coming, and they can also form sentences to describe the predator. Scientists also experimented by showing silhouettes to the prairie dogs, and they can also explain things they’ve never seen before. There are still many things that scientists haven’t decoded, like their social chatter and a specific action called jump-yips that they do. This proves that Gunnison’s prairie dog uses complex language.
Furthermore, intelligence development also resulted in an essential skill - introspection. Failure is the key to success; learning from failures is necessary for human development. Humans found the right pathway to development by trial and error. Humans gained the ability of introspection so that they won’t get stuck repeatedly making mistakes in the same place. Additionally, some mistakes can lead to people finding the right solution. Introspection speeds up the development of humans, not only the exploration within the human race but also the exploration of the world and the universe. Is this ability animals capable of having? Studies have shown that animals also can introspect.
A study by Jonathon Crystal and Allison Foote of the University of Georgia experimented with rats. They found out that rats can know what they don’t know and can engage in self-reflection. Scientists trained rats to push one lever when they hear a short burst of static and push the other when they hear a long static shot. They get six morsels when they get it correct and none if they get it wrong. They get three bites if they refuse to answer. When the busts are short or long, the rats are right almost always. However, when the bursts were medium length, the rats were twice as likely to refuse to answer. The scientist confirmed that the rats didn’t know the answer to the ones they didn’t respond to by making them choose a lever for the medium-lengthened bursts. The results showed that they only got half of them right, proving that they can introspect.
Coincidence and luck
Humans became at the top of the food chain on Earth merely because of luck and coincidences. They incidentally developed hands that allowed them to use tools through evolution, and incidentally, they were born to be more intelligent and developed technology. But if you ponder it some more, what will happen if dolphins, which have the same brain capacity as humans, grow hands and become a land animals, or if apes, which already have hands, become more intelligent?
Humans have both intelligence and hands that allow them to hold tools. This can happen to any species; it is just that they weren’t lucky enough. Complex language is not the main distinguishing factor between humans and animals; neither are written records. Some people might think the most significant disadvantage of animals is that even if they have language, they don’t have a written document to record their knowledge. Animals can communicate with a skill that humans have lost; they can inherit the experience of the generations before them. Through the development of technology, humans lost some of the abilities they used to have, like when they learned how to walk, they forgot how to climb on trees, leading to the loss of tails which helped with balance. Through the development of clothes, humans lost the fur that kept them warm. Technology greatly benefits humans, but at the same time, humanity slowly becomes fragile because it relies on technology.
While humans are still in continuous evolution, on the other hand, we are also regressing or struggling to remain in the same place. For instance, humans can no longer climb trees, and we cannot hunt to defend ourselves against other animals. The question is, why do humans continue to be at the top of the food chain? This ultimately comes down to the tools. Tools make humans powerful. At the same time, animals have been part of their environments for so long that they've even created their clever tools. Galapagos woodpeckers may use tiny sticks or cactus thorns to detect insects hidden under the bark or in holes in trees, while vultures use stones to break the thick shells of ostrich eggs. However, the development of weapons by humans was a more significant step in closing the gap between animals and humans.
Weapons significantly distinguish humans from other animals, which is why many people believe that humans are "superior" to other species. The frail composition of the human body is unbearable compared to animals. However, with weapons, everything is reversed. The reality that people with firearms are more potent than animals cannot be contested, yet this is the rule of survival in this world. For example, in science fiction, if aliens with better civilization and more potent weaponry come onto the earth, humans will not be able to demand them to respect their "human rights." The strong are indeed strong, and the weak are indeed weak.
Similarly, rabbits are prey for tigers, but this does not imply that tigers are "superior" to rabbits; it merely indicates that tigers are mighty, their claws are sharp, and their senses are acute. The same applies to humans.
Technology differentiates us from other animals in a world dominated by more vigorous species. This is the reason that sets us apart. From the beginning till the recent decade, humans gradually become more reliant on technology. This reliance has brought us into a vicious cycle. Technology has evolved to the point that it is now a crucial and essential part of human life.
Humans are altering the planet.
We must recognize that this style of life is a selfish choice to focus solely on ourselves. Any type of technology, electronic, factory distribution, or oil extraction, is undoubtedly harmful to our earth, yet also repression and aggression to other species' living environment. The devastating destruction and unbridled exploitation of natural resources by humans have destroyed an increasing number of extinctions, and animals cannot survive in their former habitats. Once the ecosystem is damaged, how long can humans survive on the earth?
Contradictory to humans, animals choose to adapt to the Earth. They learned how to collaborate and coexist with Earth, assimilate with nature and be a part of them. This is an enhancement and protection of the Earth's ecosystem. Yet this is what humans should learn from animals. Between the development of humans and animals, the Earth has provided a wealth of resources and open areas. Without sunshine, oxygen, raindrop, grassland, etc., neither humans nor animals can sustain and thrive. However, it is stated that one day in the future, human beings may be able to reclaim a new world in which to dwell in the "field" of the universe. However, this possibility is still quite remote. With the current extent of technological development, this could only be a distant dream. When the Earth is destroyed, people and animals will perish together.
Everyone is equal in the fate of death.