Humans are an intellectual beings.

Here we are, the final round of debating, and without a further ado; 1. Humans and emotion - Survival of the fittest doesn't fit with our world view today; we humans, right now, living on Earth, need to look out for ourselves, the environment, and countless other small things. Emotions and intellect (as you stated, working together) can often be used in unison, such as the protection of animals. We often stop the brutalisation of animals because of two reasons; 1. We care about animals due to our emotions, and 2. Without a large number of animals, the ecosystem would probably fall into itself, an example of intelligence. Without sympathy, we wouldn't have a planet, without intelligence, we wouldn't be trying to put a stop to the gross destruction of our forests and environments. Emotions and intelligence can often work in unison, and when this happens, it works. Doesn't this point go against what you stated in your previous one; "survival of the fittest is not always a bad idea" and "ignore any sympathy". Yes, humans over hunt and yes, we do do it for inane, ridiculous reasons, but look around you, people are now fighting back. With the advent of new technology, we have been able to kill more efficiently, but with that efficiency came more and more people fighting against it. Today, the amount of people that support the slaughter of animals and the environment is grossly outnumbered by those who want to save and protect, and our ability to work together collectively, as a species, towards the protection of the enviroment shows our true emotions, and our true intelligence. 2. The cost of resources - This proves nothing to the question at hand, and besides, humans have been making breakthroughs into discovering and/or developing these "scarce recources", I've already said it. All that is needed now is a matter of time, and it will happen; humans will develop far better materials, humans will develop new and better ways of getting to space, it is all there in my previous arguments. Our ability to move forward, using the information we have is not a burden on the question of intelligence, but lifts the idea that humans are intelligent beings. 3. War and peace - But it proves they're intelligent. You stated in the second round, one area of intelligence could be defined as humans ability to solve problems, and they have done that. Dictators or democratically elected people, despite the amount of corruption, have been able to not ignite a nuclear war. Whether is was for themselves or not (we don't know what was going through their heads) one thing is certain; we are not dead and dying from the radioactive fallout of nuclear war, something that proved the quick thinking of leaders in times of crisis. On your second point, yes, humans care for the enviroment for financially beneficial reasons, but they also care for its protection. Does the UN, which is primarily an international, "not-for profit" organization protect the enviroment because of its financially stable when its intact. Did so many nations sign the Kyoto protocol just to protect their income, and finally, are so many nations right now (like my home Australia) SPENDING billions of dollars on protecting the enviroment a proof that they care for it "just for the money". For all of the points, I do not think so; I believe that nations, and their inhabitants, as the majority, wish to protect the enviroment to actually see it survive, and continue, another proof of our intellect. 4. The bumps in the road - Yes, there are bad things going on in the world, and yes, there have always been bumps in the road, but if you looked around the world, you would see those bumps are filling. Wars are no longer as conventional and destructive as they once were, racism and bigotry is falling all over the world, humans are truly beginning to come together to help protect the enviroment, save animals, as well as people, in need, and further our knowledge and information about the sciences. It may take time, but our "bad" emotions are no longer getting in the way of progress like they once were, a final proof of our true intellect of togetherness, and progress over many fields. Conclusion - We have gotten so far in the 200,000 years of our existence. We started off as hunter-gatherers, followed by small settlements, followed by kingdoms, followed by empires, followed by the democratic world we live in today. All over, progress is furthering, our knowledge is furthering, or ability to grasp what it means to be human and our continuing quest for peace is furthering. Yes, the bumps have been the road, and there are plenty more ahead of us, but by the rate we are going, we will be able to protect the enviroment, we will be able to save animals and planet species that are at risk, we will put an end to war, we will see out the end of the century, together as one species, knowledgeable and intelligent.