University Essay: Philosophy of Human Nature - Humans vs Animals

This essay delves into the philosophical argument supporting the superiority of humans over animals. The author begins by referencing the theory of evolution, which posits humans evolved from primates. The core argument centers on cultural and linguistic factors distinguishing humans from other species. The essay highlights the human capacity to form societies and civilizations, contrasting this with animal behavior. It emphasizes the importance of imitation and cultural transmission in human societies, as well as the unique role of language in human communication. The conclusion reiterates the argument that humans are a superior species due to these key differences. The essay provides references to support the arguments made throughout the paper.

Running head: PHILOSOPHY – SUPERIORITY OF HUMANS OVER ANIMALS
PHILOSOPHY – SUPERIORITY OF HUMANS OVER ANIMALS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PHILOSOPHY – SUPERIORITY OF HUMANS OVER ANIMALS
Introduction
Evolution, since time immemorial is one of the major changes that have taken place in
the history of the world. The theory of evolution stated that the human beings have evolved from
the primates. The theory further states that the current situation reveals that the chimpanzees are
the nearest to the humans in terms of the evolution that were faced by the animal species that are
present all over the world.
Thesis Statement
The major areas of evolution that have affected the human beings and rendered them to
be better than the animal species refer to the involvement of the cultural and the linguistic factors
that are especially evident in the present-day human beings in comparison to the other animal
species that are present in the world.
Body Paragraphs
The human beings are observed to have been settling down in groups and establishing
proper societies since time immemorial. The other animal species that have been present
alongside the human beings tend to live in groups but however might not be said to form the
societies like those that were formed by the human beings (Chapman and Huffman 2018). The
tendency of the human beings to create the societies might be observed in the cases of the
evolution of some of the greatest civilizations that existed on the face of the earth. The most
celebrated of them being the Mayan civilization, the Egyptian civilization, the Indus Valley
civilization and other such civilizations. These civilizations were all formulated by men and thus
depicted the various ways in which the evolution of the human beings had led to the
development of the human settlements as well (Kymlicka 2018).

2PHILOSOPHY – SUPERIORITY OF HUMANS OVER ANIMALS
The major form of distinction that differentiates the human beings from the animals and
sets the human beings on a superior platform is the ability of the human beings to imitate the
other human beings that are present within their own surroundings. This ability of the human
beings results in the development and the continuation of the cultural factors that are
implemented within the given group of human beings. The animals on the other hand do not
demonstrate any such activities thereby differentiating them from the human beings (Newmyer
2016).
The other major factor that helps in the proper distinction of the human beings from the
animals refer to the linguistic traits that are exclusive to the human beings. The use of language
is one of the most unique factors that help in the distinguishing the human beings from the other
animals who have been living in the world (Singer 2017). The human language is one of the
most interesting features that are utilized by the human beings for the purpose of communication
among themselves. This linguistic factor further helps in the development of the issues that are
related to the understanding of the mutual relations that exist within the given.
Conclusion
Thus, from the above discussion it might be pointed out that the human beings are a
superior species in comparison to the other animals that have been existing in the world.

3PHILOSOPHY – SUPERIORITY OF HUMANS OVER ANIMALS
References
Chapman, C.A. and Huffman, M.A., 2018. Why do we want to think humans are
different?. Animal Sentience, 3(23), p.1.
Kymlicka, W., 2018. Human rights without human supremacism. Canadian Journal of
Philosophy, 48(6), pp.763-792.
Newmyer, S.T., 2016. The Animal and the Human in Ancient and Modern Thought: The ‘Man
Alone of Animals’ Concept. Routledge.
Singer, P., 2017. All animals are equal. In Animal Rights (pp. 3-16). Routledge.