Humans are not animals?

[Orogeny]

john ennis:

That’s right: little or NO luck. I wouldn’t expect much progress with the teacher coming at it from an “Image of God” standpoint either. The best I would hope for would be an acknowledgment that this is more than a scientific, provable matter, and that teachers ought to respect the diverse beliefs of their students’ families, and NOT make absolute statements about how humans compare to animals.

I think a first-grader can surely be engaged by mom and dad and siblings in a talk about humans (unlike animals) loving each other, and worshiping our God, and wondering about our reason for being here.

This is obviously a great reason for homeschooling. That way, you can combine faith with science or just skip the science part if you are uncomfortable with it or you feel that it is incompatible with the faith.

Peace

Tim

 

[tilis]

Although humans share some things in common with animals, we are different in kind for several reason.
First, we have a spiritual soul, as opposed to a physical one like animals do.
Second, as a result of having a spiritual soul, we are rationals beings, while animals have irrational minds, and run on instinct entirely.
Third, as a result of being rational beings, we have free will, and thus can make moral choices.
Fourth, as a result of being rational beings, we are aware of the Creator, and can willfully choose to worship him.
Fifth, we can see that human being are superior to animals because God became a man, not an animal.

G.K. Chesteron, in his work The Everlasting Man, argues that if we assume that Human beings are animals, then we are the strangest animals of all. So strange that we would have to conclude, that if human beings are animals, then they are animals that have gond mad. He then points out that it is more reasonable to conclude that Human Beings are of a different kind than animals.

 

[cathlicnlovinit]

My question is what subject is the teacher teaching this in? If it is science then why is that inappropriate? As I understand it (as others have stated) for the purposes of classification, we are mammals. (drink mother’s milk, have live births, have hair etc.) why is it wrong to say that biologically we are animals, just not merely animals. Maybe I have misunderstood this but I have never had a problem with my “scientific” understanding of us as mammals and my religious understanding of us having dominion over the animals and being more than just animals.

Also all public school teachers are not liberal and/or unorthdox and atheistic or anti-Judeo-Christian. I am a public school teacher. While I can’t “legally” teach the students about religion, I can share what my beliefs are in the appropriate context. If a parent came to me with concerns about something I would share what I think and what is required by the curriculum. It also depends on the area. I teach in an area where most families consider themselves Christian and take certain matters of faith seriously so not many people would call the district on me about “religious” issues.

 

[super64]

Hello to all,

In the first post, we said that this is a Catholic school. The class is a general science class taught by her first grade teacher. We have not obtained an explanation from her teacher as of yet because I wanted to get our ‘ducks in a row’. We still don’t see how we are animals. Oh, if you confine the question to the scientific world, then yes we are animals. However, since this is a Catholic school I would hope they would include a talk about souls…human souls. I’m not sure how animals have souls. I read the ‘rosary-center’ article, still don’t see it. I’ll read it again.

Does anyone have another source?

Thanks,

Scott & Kim

 

[bones_IV]

T.A.Stobie:

Yes and no. It depends on what you are considering

Physically (bodily) we are animals classified that way by science by the way our biology works.

Spiritually we are persons classified that way by **philosophy **because we possess an immortal soul and have free will. Philosophically non-sentient animals are classified separately as they only have mortal souls and live by instinct.

The term Human Person is used to distinguish us from the angelic and the divine persons who share with us having an immortal soul and free will.

(Note that some governments have tried to redefine the term person to limit the rights of some people and I am using a philosophical definition of person.)

I have to admit, this a very wise answer.

 

[porthos11]

To say that humans are animals is neither incorrect nor degrading. The teacher was discussing from a completely biological perspective. Humans are animal lifeforms. Of course our faith teaches us that we have immortal souls, but our bodies are animal bodies that belong to the primate order.

The human scientific classification is:

**Kingdom: **Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Superfamily: Hominoidea
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: Homininae
Tribe: Hominini
Genus: Homo
Species: H. sapiens

 

[1ke]

super64:

Hello to all,

In the first post, we said that this is a Catholic school. The class is a general science class taught by her first grade teacher. We have not obtained an explanation from her teacher as of yet because I wanted to get our ‘ducks in a row’. We still don’t see how we are animals. Oh, if you confine the question to the scientific world, then yes we are animals. However, since this is a Catholic school I would hope they would include a talk about souls…human souls. I’m not sure how animals have souls. I read the ‘rosary-center’ article, still don’t see it. I’ll read it again.

Does anyone have another source?

Thanks,

Scott & Kim

I would suggest the section of the Catechism on creation and man, as well as Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Humani Generis. You can find that at EWTN.

In science class you learn the Kingdom, Phyllum, etc, routine, and yes, humans are classified in this system. But, as you said, it’s a Catholic school and should therefore contain a Catholic component in any science class. Some teachers are (falsely) under the assumption that they must separate their faith from their science, which simply isn’t so.

I’d talk to the teacher about what was taught, and if her answer is unsatisfactory-- such as why she did not go on to clarify the human place in the universe made by God-- then I’d talk to the principal. If this Catholic school fails to impart Catholic teaching integrated in its subjects, then I’d stop sending her there and homeschool. That’s me.

 

[1ke]

rwoehmke:

I assume that if this is a public school one would have little luck getting the teacher to talk about souls. If it a Catholic school, you may still run into a stone wall. Get it stright in your own mind and teach the kid what’s what. Can’t really depend on anyone else these days.

Please read the OP. She clearly stated that it’s a Catholic school.

It is not unreasonable to expect Catholic teaching to be incorporated in the subjects at a Catholic school, especially when one is likely forking over a large sum of money to send one’s child there.

That is why I recommended she go to the teacher, and then work her way up if she is dissatisfied with the answer-- she needs to get involved at the school and with the curriculum being taught.

 

[bones_IV]

We are in a sense angelic “angel like”, and also in a sense “animal like”. So really we are a combination of the two. To say we have no animal in us, is puritanical. To say we are purely animal, is like saying we are just simply people who can’t control our sexual desires. We are half animal/ half angelic.

 

[BlestOne]

porthos11:

To say that humans are animals is neither incorrect nor degrading. The teacher was discussing from a completely biological perspective. Humans are animal lifeforms. Of course our faith teaches us that we have immortal souls, but our bodies are animal bodies that belong to the primate order.

The human scientific classification is:

**Kingdom: **Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Superfamily: Hominoidea
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: Homininae
Tribe: Hominini
Genus: Homo
Species: H. sapiens

I agree with this poster.
In the scientific sense we are considered members of the Animal kingdom, in essence we are Super Animals…as we have reasoning and intellectual skills beyond that of normal animals. My kids went to Catholic schools and I believe they learned the above structure of classification. This is not an insult or saying that we exhibit only “animalistic” qualities. I would talk to the teacher and express your concern, but also explain to the child that yes we are of the animal kingdom, in fact we are in charge of it by God’s command…this is a teaching moment…seize it!