Human or nonhuman?
In the book, Jane writes that the geneticists tell us that our genetic material, our DNA, differs from that od chimpanzees by only a little over 1 percent. Then she throws a very interesting question to the audience, why are we human but chimpanzee’s nonhuman?
Humans are used to be defined as “Man the Toolmaker”. We were the only creatures on earth that used and made tools. This ability set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. (Page 68 line 17-20) But throughout Jane’s observation of chimpanzees, she saw David Greybeard picked up a small leafy twig and its leaves are stripped. Her observations are more than worthwhile. And in those days it was held that only humans had minds. Only humans were capable of rational thought. (Page 73 line 12-13) But though out her observation with animals like cats, guinea pigs and golden hamsters, it is very clear that they all had personalities. They could reason and solve problems, they have minds and emotions like human being do. They are capable of mental as well as physical suffering as well. (Page 90 line 8-9)It changes people’s general definition of human and nonhuman. It also makes people think to redefine us from animals from a higher/more complex level. But our intellect has grown mightily in complexity since the first true men branched off from the ape-man stock some two million years ago. And we, and only we, have developed a sophisticated spoken language. (Page 90 line 9-10) Because of the language, we are able to young the past, the success and the mistakes. Because of the language, we are able to make plans, to discuss ideas so they could grow sometimes throughout the wisdom of the group. Because of the language, we can ask deep questions like who we are and where are we from. This highly developed intellect means that we have more responsibility toward other lives from the same planet and also differ us from animals.
Jane also compared human violence with chimpanzees’ aggressive...