From a purely biological standpoint there’s really nothing special about humans. Homo Sapiens is just one of the species in the family Hominidae, or Great Apes. Humans share a relatively recent common ancestor with the other great ape species: Gorillas, Orangutans and Chimpanzees. Homo Sapiens shares an even more recent common ancestor with extinct species in the Homo genus, like Homo Neanderthalensis and Homo Habilis.
Some say that it is the intelligence of humans that makes us special. There are other quite intelligent species out there however, like dolphins. And Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans, so probably they were at least as intelligent. It could also be that it’s not just intelligence that makes humans special, but that it’s intelligence combined with the ability to reason about abstract concept and ideas that separates humans from other species.
Others say that it is language that makes humans special, and then especially our ability to express abstract concepts and ideas. This not only enables us to think more deeply, but also makes it possible to discuss and ponder these ideas together, thus tapping into a collective intelligence.
There are other concepts that have been invoked to make the case that Homo Sapiens is special, such as: true bipedalism, sophisticated toolmaking, art, consciousness, self-awareness, and morality.
The Roman Catholic Church says that it is the God-given soul that makes humans special, which is a view shared by most Christians, and with Judaism and Islam. Some theists go even further and say that humans are a special creation by God, wholly separate from the animal kingdom.
Question:
What do you think makes humans special, and why?