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Originally Posted by Fiona In the end I do not think it is possible to demonstrate any conclusive difference between humans and animals. Whatever dimensions you pick, there is overlap. For example there are human beings so badly disabled that they demonstrate no discernible intelligence at all. They are still human but in functional terms they are less intelligent than many animals. We have speech, but again there are human beings who do not share that gift. They are still human though they have less capacity to communicate than a cat. I could go on. |
Sorry Fiona, but this is saying as much as that a child that a crippled is proof that human species has not always four functioning limbs. Yes there are people that are so disabled that they don't seem to have discernible intelligence, there are also people that are blind, deaf or otherwise physically impaired, but as a species we are a seeing, hearing and thinking species.
It is not the outliers of the population that should be considered but the bulk of the population in these judgements in the first place. And in that sense mankind is fairly unique in its capability of creating concepts as responsibility, rights and duties.
And for those within the humans species that do not have this capability, we do deny them certain rights we give to others and appoint guardians to take decisions for them.