Human exceptionalism

{{Creationism}}
'''Human exceptionalism''' is the [[belief]] that [[human]]s are categorically or essentially different than all other animals. It is often argued on [[religious]] grounds where humans are the product of special creation by [[God]], though [[secular]] arguments have also been advanced in favor of this concept.

==Discovery Institute==
The most recent usage of the phrase itself can be found in [[Discovery Institute]] [[propaganda]]. Like [[intelligent design]], their use of the phrase basically amounts to [[creationism]] (specifically, [[baraminology]]) in a funny hat. The idea is that humans are unlike any other life form on earth, and never mind the repeated parallels biologists find with other animals, and the successful predictions they make based on that model, precisely as if humans were just another evolved life form that we had a pretty good idea where it fit in the [[tree of life]].

The angle the DI uses for this one is to publish a newsletter called ''The Human Exceptionalist'',<ref>[http://archive.is/z5zkU Introducing The Human Exceptionalist, A Monthly Newsletter of Discovery Institute.] Archived from the original at support.discovery.org, 8 November 2011.</ref> a "monthly" report on "the many emerging threats to human dignity and equality" published by the DI's "Center for Human Exceptionalism," headed by Wesley J. Smith.

The rationale is that western civilization "depends on accepting the moral importance of being human," and a [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy]] of "powerful and bounteously financed ideological forces in seemingly unrelated but actually symbiotically connected fields such as bioethics, radical environmentalism, neo-[[Darwinism]], scientific [[materialism]], animal rights, radical environmentalism, and futuristic [[transhumanism]], assert with mounting vigor that being human is morally irrelevant."<sup>[yes, he said "radical environmentalism" twice]</sup> Western civilisation is good, therefore creationism should be true (an obvious [[moralistic fallacy]] and [[social constructionist]] outlook).<ref><capture>[http://www.nationalreview.com/human-exceptionalism/322844/introducing-human-exceptionalist Introducing ''The Human Exceptionalist'']</capture> (Wesley J. Smith, ''Secondhand Smoke'', 08 Nov 2011)</ref>

Human exceptionalism is posited by Smith as a justifiable development from plain old {{wpl|anthropocentrism||,}} but the phrase is all Smith's and the DI's.

==Secular arguments==
Although [[evolution]] has demonstrated that the difference between humans and other animals is one of degree and not kind,<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-bekoff/animal-minds-and-the-foib_b_919028.html Animal Minds and the Foibles of Human Exceptionalism], Marc Bekoff, ''[[Huffington Post]]''</ref> some secular arguments for human exceptionalism are still made, usually based on traits that are perceived to be possessed only by humans. [[Culture]] and [[language]] are commonly offered up as support for this position; it is claimed that on account of culture or language, human behavior is no longer subject to natural selection, or that studying other animals is unlikely to shed light on human behavior. However, some [[anthropology|anthropologists]] such as Craig Stanford argue that culture is not unique to humans based on the fact that other species (primates and birds) demonstrate the ability to develop technology (tool usage) and behavioral variation over different regions.<ref>[http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/8056.html Got Culture?] Craig Stanford, ''Trojan Family Magazine''</ref>

==See also==
*[[Human nature]]

==External links==
*[http://www.nationalreview.com/human-exceptionalism Human Exceptionalism: Life and dignity with Wesley J. Smith.]

==References==
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[[Category:Discovery Institute]]
[[Category:Creationism]]
[[Category:Anthropology]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]

Categories: Discovery Institute, Creationism, Anthropology, Philosophy