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Analysis Of Gulliver 's Travels By Jonathan Swift

Decent Essays

“WHO DIED AND NAMED YOU SUPERIOR”
What are some of the characteristics that makes humans a distinct species? According to National Geographic’s article, “Minds of Their Own”, higher capability human-like characteristics include, “good memory, a grasp of grammar and symbols, self-awareness, understanding others ' motives, imitating others, and being creative” (Morell). Because humans possess all these skills we automatically assume we are the dominant race. What if we knew animals possessed these skills as well? Would we still think we are superior? The fact is that, animals share and express human-like capabilities.
Authors like Jonathan Swift have used their works to shine a light on the similarities between humans and animals. In Part …show more content…

Well surprise, animals have dialects too. According to the Huffington Post Science article, “Human Intelligence”, “killer whales share a complex language of their own and dolphins have individual names-- just like [humans]-- based on whistle signals” (Mosbergen). Similarly, “Professor Con Slobodchikoff, from Northern Arizona University, has been studying and recording the calls of the Gunnison’s prairie dog for three decades” (Edwards). Based off of these recordings many other scientists have discovered that “the evolved complex language” of the prairie dogs “contain varying numbers of frequency modulations, barks, squeals and squeaks, and each animal has unique tonal qualities”(Edwards). Not only have animals established different dialects, like humans, animals speak and understand extremely complicated speaking patterns that humans have failed to notice on a daily basis.
“Scientists recognize specific skills as key signs of high cognitive abilities: they include…self awareness” amongst many other variables (Gaertner). “Self-awareness is the pivot point upon which all development depends” (Craig). And “ without self-awareness there is no way to anchor your journey, no way to orient yourself, no way of knowing if you are losing or finding your way” (Craig). Clearly being self aware is extremely important to the development and livelihood of the human race. It 's such an important trait that all humans are taught to inherit it

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