The document explores the philosophical question of the superiority of humans over animals, discussing aspects such as morality, intelligence, language, and cultural practices. It argues that while there are similarities in skills between humans and animals, the essential difference lies in the human capacity for transcendence and a framework that allows for concepts beyond immediate survival. Examples like the story of a primate named Mozu illustrate the complexity of moral feelings and social behaviors in animals, challenging the notion of a clear divide between species.

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING HUMAN
Jean-David Ponci
Doctor of Philosophy of Science

2. Superiority of degree or nature between
man and animal?
Judeo-Christianity: Man is made in the image
of God.
In animals there is no desire for eternity, but
they are eternal as a species, insofar as there
is within them a desire for reproduction through
which the species continues to exist.
(Thomas Aquinas, Sum against the Gentiles, II, 82).

3. Superiority of degree
or of nature
between man and animal ?
Tools
Language
Sociability and feelings
Culture
Reason
Can science prove that we are essentially different?
Can science prove that we have something that
animals will never have?

4. Superiority of degree or nature between
man and animal ?
“Tools make man”
difference between primates and hominids

7. Superiority of degree or nature between
man and animal ?
Intelligence
Chimps are a better working memory than human.

9. Superiority of degree or nature between
man and animal ?
Language
Chimps can understand up to 3000 words.

12. What about moral feeling ?
Mozu was born without hands or feet in
Japan.
Mozu could not climb. Still, the other
members of Mozu's troop did not move
in the trees above her at a pace that
would leave her behind, despite their
ability to do so. They seemed cognizant
— and also tolerant — of Mozu's
handicap.
She lived to an advanced age and will
grow five young
Primatologist Frans de Waal claims that
such observations help inform us that
some moral sentiments seem rooted in
human ancestry.

13.
What about the reason that would allow them to
control their impulses?

15.
Conclusion
If we look at the skills, it is difficult to see a
difference of nature between animals and
humans.
-Moral feelings
-Tools and some kind of culture
-More intelligent in some aspects
-Reason : With symbols, they are able to control
their impulse.
-Planning an assassination to keep power

16. Conclusion
The difference (of nature) does not come
from skills,
but from framework.
Animals are
(intellectually)
locked in their
world.

17. Art
to attract the female
Plan an assassination
to keep power
To sacrifice their lives
to save their young
Language
to ask for something
in their world
(food, hug)

18. Animals don't do things that make sense
because of another world.
- They don't make art for the beauty of art.
- They do not give their lives for an ideal.
- They don't bury their dead because of the
afterlife.
-They don’t pray…
The key word to understand the difference is
openness or transcendence

19. Sources
De Waal, Frans, (2005) Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We
Are Who We Are. New York : Riverhead, 2005
Rubin, John (2014)Ape Genius,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg-mPjhCnc8&t=2843s
Can Apes really “talk” To Humans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uYWSXRUGxDQ
Zubiri, Xavier (1966–67) «Notas sobre la inteligencia humana» (artículo)

20. A remark
We consider ourselves human,
because our parents are human.
If we had been raised by an animal,
we would not consider ourselves human.
First experiment : the feral children

22. She does not consider herself a human
being, because her mother, Mom, is the
dog.