Humans ARE Animals

FORWARDThere was some initial argumentation in the comment section of this debate over whether or not the motion is a statement of fact, "Humans ARE Animals," and should have therefore been placed under the category of science rather than philosophy.So it is with great anticipation and hope that we (myself & Con) can eventually present a philosophical case for whether or not Humans Are Animals.OVERVIEWI am Pro of the motion and I too also believe the motion is a statement of fact to a degree in terms of pure objectivity. I will therefore start first by presenting the scientific facts that prove humans are animals. This will be Contention I. Second, I will discuss and dissolve any idea that the seemly special "human" characteristics of people are in fact in no way only exclusive to just humans. This will be Contention II.And lastly, I will discuss philosophically WHY all of this matters and WHY understanding and viewing humans as animals is fundamentally a better worldview than the assumption that humans are more than animals and are somehow separate and apart from the natural world. This will be Contention III - but it will not be presented in the first round as it will be presented in the later rounds after Con begins to present his case.CONTENTION I - Humans Are Related to ALL Other Life on EarthA) Humans Evolved [1][2][3][4][5]. Humans could not be said to have evolved IF they were not animals. B) Humans are Comprised of the Exact Same Aanimal Pieces & Parts (the Animal Cell, tissue, organs & chemistry).As far as I know, there are no major difference between the animal cells in the human species from that of any other animal species (of course discluding plant cells). The animal cells in a horse, dog, whale, fish, or goat are the exact same in terms of the animals cell's machinery. A cell is the basic building block (unit) of/for tissues of an organism [7]. This is why organs and tissues from other animals can be used in life saving medical transplants. Heart valves from pigs, for example, have been used in humans [6]. C) Vertebrate Embryonic Developmental Stages and Appearance are Almost Identical in All Species (including the human species). Below is a side by side comparison of a Chimp embryo (L) and human embryo (R). D) Overlapping Magisteria - other sciences are confirming these facts (genetics, anthropology, medicine, etc.)If there were any creditable discrepancies of the fact of human evolution, or as to homo sapiens' place in nature, we would expect these to be uncovered in other fields of inquiry and sciences. We do not; just the opposite has happened - other fields and branches of science are continuing to build the body of evidence as to Man's place in nature.For example, our closest living relative is chimpanzee. If this is true than we would expect the field of genetics to yield data that would also support this fact. And indeed this what we find. Humans and Chimpanzees can be said to share over 98% of the exact same genetics [18].We know that we share some of the same genes with even plant life [18].E) Infectious Disease - diseases are shared and contracted by varying different species of animals. Bacteria and viruses attack animal cells and tissues despite any ideas of distinguishing species.For example, Ebola, is now understood to come from bats. Precisely because human biology (tissue and cells) are so similar to that of other species - the virus can survive and infect bats, humans and other animals alike - with devastating consequences in human populations. We would not be able to synthesis a cure for diseace or vaccines in other animals; animal testing would be a waste if our biology wasn't similar.Contention II - What Makes us "HUMAN" Can Also Be Observed in NatureA) Intelligence - Problem Solving & Reasoning - Use of Tools & TechnologiesRavens, the smartest of all birds, have demonstrated they can solve an 8 step problem solving and reasoning test [11]. The link below provides access to this. B) Communication & Language We observe animals like Koko the Gorilla, who has been taught to communicate through Sign Language, express and clearly understand emotions like laughter and sadness and explain that these experiences are "bad" and "sad" or "good" and "happy" (See Koko cry when her cat is killed, attached video) [8][16].It has been scientifically verified that Koko knows over 1000 different words and their meanings and uses them comprehensively [17].C) Artistic ExpressionBelow is an actual painting made by an elephant [9]. The link below shows the elephant actually painting it! D) Moral Behavior Michael Schermer describes some animal behavior as premoral sentiments - behavior in animals that is shared by humans which include: attachment and bonding, cooperation and mutual aid, sympathy and empathy, direct and indirect reciprocity, altruism and reciprocal altruism, conflict resolution and peacemaking, deception and deception detection, community concern and caring about what others think about you, and awareness of and response to the social rules of the group [12].Animals such as Capuchin monkeys and dogs also display an understanding of fairness, refusing to co-operate when presented unequal rewards for the same behaviors [13][14].We find examples of genuine morality among animals especially in a group setting. What we find is a system where members of the group use praise, condemnation, reward, and punishment to alter the dispositions of other members of the group. E) Religious Behavior Early Burials "Most anthropologists now agree, based on evidence uncovered at 20 or so grave sites throughout Western Europe, that our closest evolutionary relatives buried their dead. In 1908, two archaeologists uncovered the 50,000-year-old Neanderthal skeleton in the cave, and almost immediately they speculated that the remains were intentionally buried. But a lack of information about the excavation procedures used by the Bouyssonie brothers—as well as the fact that they were Catholic priests—caused many skeptics to wonder if the discovery had been misinterpreted.The idea that Neanderthals buried their dead fits with recent findings that they were capable of symbolic thought and of developing rich cultures. For example, findings show they likely decorated themselves using pigments, and wore jewelry made of feathers and colored shells" [15]. “This discovery not only confirms the existence of Neanderthal burials in Western Europe, but also reveals a relatively sophisticated cognitive capacity to produce them,” explains William Rendu, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the Center for International Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences in New York City." Cited Source References:[1] http://humanorigins.si.edu...[2] http://evolution.berkeley.edu...[3] http://www.pbs.org...[4] http://www.britannica.com...[5] http://www.mhhe.com...[6] http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com...[7] http://www.biology-online.org...[8] www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQCOHUXmEZg[9] www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk[10] www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-xFlKfmLGY[11] www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbSu2PXOTOc[12] The Science of Good and Evil, Michael Shermer (2004)[13] http://www.primates.com...[14] http://www.pnas.org...[15] http://news.nationalgeographic.com...[16] http://www.koko.org...[17] http://www.koko.org...; [18] http://genecuisine.blogspot.com...