In What Sense Are Human Beings Better Than Animals?

An animal is forever hindered by the fact that that they cannot pass on what they learn to future generations thereby creating a civilization. They're limited in what they can learn, some species more than others. They cannot rise above their instincts and do something new and innovative like a symphony or masterpiece of art. What they do, all others of their species can do. They can be taught to immitate humans but will never learn to BE human. Humans on the other hand can and often do...act like animals. I love animals, I respect their place and function on this planet. They are beautifully created beings with the right to be here and treated with respect. I do EAT meat. I see nothing wrong with this practice. I believe that I am superior to them in that I am created in the image of God. I do not feel this gives me the right to abuse animals, to kill them for no reason, or to kill them inhumanely if I am going to eat them. Or to take their habitat and misuse it. My Native American ancestors had much respect for and empathy with animals, but they hunted them for food too. I have pets, I've raised animals for food. Man was given dominion over the animals and the resources of this earth. That does not mean we are allowed to dominate or excused for bad stewardship. I am amazed at people who will defend wildlife with no question...but abuse their fellow man. Those of you who feel that it is wrong to eat meat...more power to you. It is most likely healthier. BUT don't tell me I am wrong for choosing other wise based on some new age psycho-babble about dolphins being a higher life form. If they were...they'd be in charge of things, not humans. And I think they are a beautiful and intelligent animal....but they are not the dominant life form on earth for a reason.

We are better than other animals. We are the most well rounded and highly adapted species on the planet. If theres something we cant do, we make a machine to do it for us. Were actually so adapted, that were de-evolving. Its our nature given right to use the Earth as we see fit, although we must also be aware that whatever we do will affect us and stick with us forever. People seem to romanticize this issue far to much

Despite the negative side you've enumerated above, I still think we are far more superior from animals. Why? because we can go beyond that negatives you've mentioned. We know and appreciate the choices that are present with us and is able to know the consequences of that choice. We know what is bad and what is good and it is up to us which to follow. As for animals they do not have the choice if they are hungry they have to kill. In our case it is not, if you are hungry you do not have to kill but you can work to earn your daily wage to buy food. For animals, they also do not have choice what they have but we humans does have the gift of thinking and we could build our own shelter and improve our lives whereas if your a lion you are bound to live in a harsh environment and you don't have the capacity to improvise your life where you are. It's like you are forced to live in a savannah but for humans we can and are able to exploit our environment to suit our needs and wants. The greediness and violence is actually not a human trait but is a remnant of our animal instinct but as humans we have gone beyond that point already and for those that are in favor of violence they are just leashing their primitive selves than their humanity.

We are superior to animals because we were made in the image of God with a soul that will live forever. Those who do the despicable things you mentioned will spend eternity in hell with the devil and his angels.

If we believe in God then we believe that we are superior to animals, because we are made in his own likeness, who made all things in the universe, the seen and the unseen. Now, what makes man looks indiscipline as you said, because we have to abide our law. Anything against it is a sin or unethical. Now, is the animals have their own law? What do you think if animals will have a law like murder when they have to eat another weaker animals or like them? How about if the dog will be given a law to stick to one partner? Can the dog stick to it? Can they think that they will commit sin if they fail to abide the law? For me we are always be superior than animals, because we think, act, decide and etc..But its up for the person to do or think the right or wrong.

Humans and animals have the same mind to think though. We are here to survive and make the best we can as we do. Some people are different then others, so are animals. There's different kinds and different species, I don't think human or animals are different from each other at all. Come to think of it, as humans we do eat animal, but you can't forget that some animals do eat human, for example, sharks attack human, but that's usually because they're hungry or we are in there territory. Human eat pig and other animals too. I don't think it makes either one of us different in anyway.

This is a very interesting question. My sixth grade Science teacher said that human beings are better than animals because we have the sense to think. Animals do whatever they want to do, but we think before we do. But, in the real word, I can see human beings are going to the level of animals. Examples are: People violating queues in offices, to enter into public bus etc. People don't care to keep their word People becomeing selfish and ready to kill anybody for their selfish needs

Human is a social animal and in no ways we can consider that Humans are better than animals. As we are ruling this earth we cannot just say that we are the masters of this universe. It is the sixth sense or Intelligence that make human to stand tall than the other species in this earth. But still Humans are not the conquerors of the entire globe. Even after the advancement in the field of science and technology we are still unable to predict the Earth quakes or Tsunamis but for a bird or dog, it has a natural sensing habit of predicting natural disasters but we couldn't do that. So in no wasy we can boast that we are better than animals.

I just learned something very fascinating last night in a movie called, "The 11th Hour". The human body is made of 100 TRILLION cells, 90% of which are not human. They are bacteria and other microorganisms. Also, there are 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (Six Septillion) thing going on at once in the human body, made mostly of these non-human cells. We really need to respect nature, and all its creatures. We are not separate from nature and we are no better than any other life form.

No I don't think we are. Just because our brains may be "bigger", as in knowledge, it doesn't make us smarter that's for sure. I sometimes dream about being an animal instead of human and maybe lead a more peaceful life. But even animals have to experience pain and a lot of times from the hands of humans. Just think of those out there killing animals simply for their fur. This also makes me think of an episode of the Twilight Zone where an astronaut lands on a different planet and they give him a place to stay that looks like a home from Earth. In the end you find out the home is simply a "cage" and the man is on display in the alien's zoo. Makes you think twice about how we treat the animals in our world. I remember the other night on the news there was a story about a pug who was kidnapped from a backyard. It was stabbed in the neck several times and then had its coat stripped from its body. I just can't imagine why people would want to do this sort of thing? And of course I think these people are cowards to go for such a defenseless creature. To answer your question, no humans are not better than animals.

We were created by God for one reason, and that is to take care of the creatures smaller and a lot primitive than ours instead of killing them or torturing them.it's our responsibility to care not for the plants but animals as well.