why can't humans be our own kingdom? and i think a dolphins intelligence is closer to other mammals than it is people. maybe it's the fact that it's brilliance is the only thing it has in common with people whereas it has mutliple charastics in common with other mammals.

It IS as simple as that though. It's science and it's facts. Also, you are really under-rating animals in that post. You do realize we know classify dolphins as "non-human persons", right? Does that mean they aren't animals either, since they are so intelligent and advanced compared to other animals. And then there is the fact that we don't fit in any other kingdom. We aren't plants, we aren't fungi, etc. We are animals. Pure and simple.

i don't think it's simple as that. what about the millions of things that seperate us from the animals?

....Read the first post. This is about the classification of the human species, it has nothing to do with evolution. We have a thread for that. And the statement "why do we still have monkeys?" proves that you know nothing about evolution. That is not what evolution is about. AT ALL.<br /> <br /> Also, this isn't about religion. This is how we fit the very simple, basic characteristics of the animal kingdom. Shown here:<br /> 1. Animals are multicellular.<br /> 2. Animals are heterotrophic, obtaining their energy by consuming energy-releasing food substances.<br /> 3. Animals typically reproduce sexually.<br /> 4. Animals are made up of cells that do not have cell walls.<br /> 5. Animals are capable of motion in some stage of their lives.<br /> 6. Animals are able to respond quickly to external stimuli as a result of nerve cells, muscle or contractile tissue, or both. <br /> <br /> Humans fit all of those. Therefore, we are in the animal kingdom. Simple as that.

i don't believe we started off as monkeys i can tell you that. why are there still monkeys? why aren't they all humans? why aren't there any halfhumanmonkeys left? but as for us being animals,,,, i say we have a lot similarities between animals more than we do with,,, idk, the sky or plants for example. but there are too many things that seperate us from them also. everything about us, our brains, seperates us. and yes we do have instincts, but i think everything does. trees' leaves instinctively turn red, orange, and yellow during the fall and fall off during winter and blossom during spring and summer. the sky instinctively has different whether during different parts of the year (in most regions). i know that's a little far fetched, and maybe even easy to pick apart but i hope that wont be the case. i think we're a little of both but uniquely original. i think humans are a reflection of the God i believe in, i think we have traits of the earth within us, as well as animal traits. but we are just mainly more unique than more animal.

I definitely agree that humans are animals, but furthermore I'd like to point out that we have much more in common with the other members of the Kingdom than many of us would like to admit.<br /> <br /> People tend to underestimate the intelligence as well as sapience of other species to a degree that I can only describe as hubris...and considering the etymology of "sapient," I think that point is pretty well supported.<br /> Human beings tend to consider themselves smarter and better than all other creatures because we have technology, but most of us forget that lack of communication and/or understanding <i>of</i> communication does not equate to stupidity. Just because we cannot understand the languages (including body language) of other species does not mean we are "above" them. We are, compared to most animals, weak and defenseless, blind and deaf, and we have a sense of smell that would be laughable. We have no fur to keep us warm, no claws with which to catch prey or defend against predators, and no natural camouflage at all. Our intelligence, creativity, and aggression were all necessities...otherwise, we likely would have died off a long time ago.<br /> <br /> So assuming, then, that we <i>are </i> the most intelligent animal (which I'd call into question anyway)...so what? Our evolution took a different road than others simply because that was the easiest route to survival. Tigers have stripes, wolves hunt in packs, and people have opposable thumbs and big brains that we should really put to better use in 90% of cases. That's nature, and it makes us no better than our other animal counterparts. <br /> <br /> In fact, I'd say the intelligence of humanity combined with our aggression and greed gets us into more trouble than just about any other traits selected for by nature. After all, elephants and dolphins and songbirds don't cause massive global extinction events, endangering not only those species around them, but themselves in the process.