What Then Am I? A Conscious Being. This was a quote written by Aristotle. It was made to distinguish humans from animals. The major difference, according to Aristotle, is that humans are conscience rational beings who have the power to reason. For example, when you take into account the physical similarities between man and monkeys, you will find that our body structures are remarkably similar. Even our DNA is almost identical. Why is it then, that humans have been able to rise above all creatures of the earth to dominate it? According to Aristotle, humans are social and rational animals. Therefore, our reasoning abilities are what have caused us to excel in the ways that we have. According to Aristotle, animals do not have any reasoning capabilities. They simply react according to their instincts. For example, when you pull a cat's tail, their instincts tell them to react by meowing or scratching the person who pulled it's tail. However, in a similar scenario, if someone pulls a human girl's hair, that girl can react in a variety of ways. She can ignore the person who pulled her hair, beat the person up, complain, etc. Her options are almost limitless. This ability to choose without having to rely on instincts, is what Aristotle feels separate man from animals. I do not agree with this part of Aristotle's theory. Over the course of my life, I have had many pets, and depending on how they were raised, they do seem to have some reasoning abilities. Not all cats meow when their tails are pulled, just as all dogs do not chase cars. In my opinion, animals do have reasoning abilities.In my opinion, the greatest thing that has come to distinguish man from animals is not our reasoning capabilities, but our vocal cords and their ability to produce an extensive language. Our vocal cords allow us to communicate complex ideas into terms that others will understand. Animals do not have the capabilities to create such an exten...
