Are humans enlightened beings or "smart" animals?

Question

So, do you think we are created separate from animals with a higher purpose, or should we accept that humans are simply a smarter than normal animal, with illusions of grandeur in mind?

Answer 1

Its not an either or.

Humans are both, we can enlighten ourselves by studying our own history (the only animals that can do this).

We are also smart animals because we would be able to eventually rediscover all that has been learned to this point this information was lost or destroyed.

If you feel grandiose then simply take the time to learn just how small the tiny spec we call earth is.

If you feel humble just think about how no other creature on this planet, aside from humans, has the option of contemplating this thought.

Answer 2

yes duh

Answer 3

Smart animals, we weren't created for a reason, we were created/evolved because we had to adapt. We had to survive.

Answer 4

Both at once. This is the problem. The first is the destination, but we try to arrive there by the false path of the second.

Answer 5

Smartish animals slowly evolving into enlightened beings.

Answer 6

Smartness is more common than enlightenment.

Answer 7

Aren't humans an experiment - animals with holy soul?

But "fatsausage", those are not humans any longer, just we are (why) poor humans enduring them as anything else of all the rest of our earthly life.

Answer 8

We are at the top of the food chain. We've evolved and became smarter.  Our emotions have become greater. We have developed greed. We all wish to be respected. All this through evolution. Without it we lay naked to look for food. To survive. To reproduce. But now we are smart. We all have the power to create our future and it's up to you to live the way you want.

Answer 9

We are genetically and physiologically related to all life on Earth.

Gotta be a miracle, huh?

EDIT:

I just read all the other answers.

Do we contribute because we all know that we, unlike many, "make a lot of sense"?

It is not love that makes the World go around...nor is it money -- delusion is clearly the prime mover.

Answer 10

Whether we were created for a higher purpose is something no one will ever know until they die.  The difference between man and animal comes down to rational thought.  We are the only beings that make decisions completely outside of nature and instinct.  Conscious thought and logic separate us from the animals.  We are still very instinctive but we also have the ability to make decisions without this instinct.  Mans decisions aren't based solely on survival and reproduction.  If I had to say what the one big difference is it would be greed.  We don't work to find enough food to survive, we work to find more food than anyone else so that we can feel superior.

Answer 11

who says we are smarter animals. Perhaps our way of life is convinent, destroying the world but not fulfilling or happy?

i think we are smarter animals. But we are not THAT smart. The only thing the clasiffys us as smart is that we can use objects with our hands and build things, humans are not fully capable of understanding our mind. It something we cannot do.

Answer 12

we are the evolution of animals and we are faster in thoughts.

we may not know . But there might be a language that other animals understand . i mean isn't it fascinating to know that maybe the animals have a society of their own . like one of them  might even be a leader of their nation . they might even think we humans are wierd making buildings  destroying their habitat . And most importantly animals might not have wars like humans do .

Answer 13

The say we got our smarts from being predators, this is because when we hunt, as hunters we use gorilla tactics.

As for the delusions of grandeur, they say that this is part of our  

group mindedness, if we want to move up or around in the ranks

then this is a valuable trait.

Answer 14

In my opinion, Humans are a species of life that is inferior to Animals.  Since time immemorial, Humans have been killing each other by the millions and have perpetrated the most unimaginable genocides.

In addition Humans have polluted the Land, the Water, and the Air.  Humans do not deserve to live on the Planet Earth.