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kcough's picture

I think this is an

I think this is an interesting debate and certainly one that we should touch on in the future. I'm pessimistic, however, to us ever finding an answer. I think one of the first questions we need to answer is what "special" means. If we define it in different ways it is impossible to come to a conclusion. I think that if we take it to mean "superior" I would have to disagree that humans are "special." One of the most important reasons for that would be that we are not the "goal" of evolution. Evolution is a way to figure out what works and what doesn't, not necessarily to find the "best" organism. So if single-celled organisms work for what they need to do, and we work for what we need to do, and elephants work for what they need to do, everything is special, in a way.

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