Are monkeys and apes equal to us humans like P. Singer and Ms. J. Goodal believe?

Question

I heard of ridiculous science, but this one really takes the cake: are monkey and apes our equals? Maybe Tarzan and Jane will consider that. Or Jungle Jim? But not me. What do you think?

Answer 1

I suppose that depends on what you mean by equal to humans.

They are capable of advanced emotions, love,hate, etc.

They have complex tribal relationships, which are extremely similar to our tribal relationships. They can empathize with each other and with us, as we can with them.

They are self-aware, and conscious of their existence.  

However, they cannot speak and have problems with advanced conceptualizations, While they are capable of logic and mathematics there are limits to what they can accomplish, i.e.; There appears to be no way really to communicate the human abstract idea of God or philosophical concepts such as fate or destiny or the scientific concepts we have conceived. Advanced mathematics would never make sense to them, they just don't have the level of brainpower necessary for mathematics beyond (probably) light calculus.

However they do have ethical structures, there is a "natural" law which exists among great apes, it forms a simple type of culture. For instance, they know when they have been cheated in a trade, or got a good deal.

They can be aware of good and bad leadership among the alpha and beta males of a tribe and will collude and may act  or plan against bad leadership, they also understand acts of "generosity" and what we might call "compassion" and good tribal leadership as well.

I think this , I think we sometimes give ourselves too much credit in some respects. Lets' say you send a few hundred people back in time to a primeval earth with nothing but some simple skins to wear.

If we were transported to a primeval world with no human ammenities things would look - ALOT - more equal. Sure we might develop small settlements, eventually we might have small farms but without crops or domestic animals, we're right back in the same boat as the rest of the great apes, hunting and gathering.

And until farms and such get up and running, you'd eat what you find or kill, there's not alot of time to think about getting to the 7-11 - because it doesn't exist.

Answer 2

They are not our equals. They were our equals years ago, but we have become a more advanced species that accelerated a lot faster and continue to do so today.

If you look at the average american height 50 years ago it is probably a lot shorter than we are today (evolution)

If you look at the technology of medicine today compared to 50 years ago we have advanced (evolution)

Many more examples!

Answer 3

Equals in what way? Do you have a statement we're to discuss?

Answer 4

They are different and obviously not equal.  Monkeys and apes have been evolving for the same amount of time as we have and are more adapted to their particular niches.  We are inferior to them in their niche, they are inferior to us in our niche.  Humans, being human, should value humanity more than we do apes  or monkeys.  This should only be natural but many people seem to hold human beings in less regard than they should IMO.

Answer 5

All animals are you equal in protective right, though responsibility for actions is beyond them. We have some law that written to this effect; to a greater or lesser degree depending on circumstance.

Answer 6

Even if we totally disregard everything the Bible says, apes are still not our equals from a purely scientific perspective. Humans still have one thing that sets us apart from everything else on this planet: our mind. We have the capacity to reason, imagine, and use logic (not to mention loads of other capabilities). Clearly we are somehow set apart from  the rest of Creation.

Answer 7

Monkeys don't hunt their own kind like humans...

They are more humane then the humans...

Answer 8

Looking at many human beings around me, I have no hesitation to say that those animals are better evolved than some of us... At least those animals don't wage wars that kills thousands of their kinds... We are dumber than dumb...

Answer 9

Equal does not mean they will dress, study in college and will watch TV etc.If so then they will sit in Whitehouse and rule us. They may have similar brain but may require some more growth to equal ours.

Answer 10

I think there are some horrible things not even monkeys or apes would do, so they are a little bit better than us in this regard.

Answer 11

Perhaps not.

But by the same token, humans are NOWHERE NEAR as "special" as most of them think (except to themselves & their loved ones).  Nothing that is so easy to make many, many more of can possibly have that much intrinsic value.