Human Ecthis
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If gorillas and humans can consciously recognize the same symbols then we have a couple of problems on our hands. Most people believe that symbol use is part of human nature and human nature only. If chimps and gorillas can do something that is thought to be a primary human quality, then who is more clever? Are humans lowered to primate level, or perhaps even scarier, are primates raised to the level of human beings?
Humans are special things. We believe we are better compared to all other living creatures. Since we are fixed on this idea, it must have been dreadful when we proved primates could use symbols the same way we do. We would not want to extend human ethicality to primates because that would raise them to our level. If we believe animals are ethical, that means they are clever, they have morals; they are us humans. Humans would not want primates do the things that humans usually do on a daily basis...