Cosmic Dick Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 I know there are a few possible answers to this, but I'd like to suggest my own, although I doubt I'm the first to say this. Imagination. I can do amazing things with mine, and I'll give an example or two maybe. It is imagination that has given us art, music, invention, the list is endless, none of this would be possible without imagination. It is also the best possible answer to that childhood problem called "Whyning" example, my childhood; Me: Yes mum, but Why? Mum: Because. Me: But Why? Mum: Stop Whyning, go ask your dad. Me: Dad, Why? Dad: Cos I said so. Me: But Why? Dad then shortcuts the teaching method by picking up the stout stick, (wack) Be.. (wack) cause.. (wack) I.. (wack) said.. (wack) so. I learn't quickly, not done me any harm, but both my parents were wrong, and I think of the two, my mum should have been the one to say it; Me: Mum, Why? Mum: Use your imagination. CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest smoketilluchoke Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 hmmm i think its damn near impossible to tell whether other animals have imagations or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryAfghan Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 a conscience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Dick Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 a conscience I think wolves show a level of conscience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam-i-am Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 I can remember reading a book by Colin Wilson many years ago in which he argued that the ability to produce a physiological response to the human imagination meant that masturbation was man's greatest achievement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Dick Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 I wouldn't argue with him on that one, seems very reasonable, certainly works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 I can remember reading a book by Colin Wilson many years ago in which he argued that the ability to produce a physiological response to the human imagination meant that masturbation was man's greatest achievement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdog Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 What Makes Humans Unique, what is the one thing that makes the difference Arrogance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Dick Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 hmmmi think its damn near impossible to tell whether other animals have imagations or not hmmm hmmm There are some elephants that do paintings, could what they do be an example of imagination? My first thoughts are they are not, but that could be a lack of understanding of art on my part. CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synack Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 hmmmi think its damn near impossible to tell whether other animals have imagations or not Always wondered why people assume they haven't.... We are a very presumptious lot, us 'umans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weed_G Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synack Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 Unpredictable aggression and the biggie, EGO! Killing our own species when not strictly necessary for food or defence. The only other animals we seem to share this trait with are the `intelligent` ones, such as dolphins and chimps. Both display very similar traits (bullying, spite, apparently unprovoked aggression towards own species). Other than that, not a lot really, I don't think. Thumbs and a marginally more developed brain than chimps or dolphins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Dick Posted April 30, 2010 Author Share Posted April 30, 2010 Unpredictable aggression and the biggie, EGO!Killing our own species when not strictly necessary for food or defence. The only other animals we seem to share this trait with are the `intelligent` ones, such as dolphins and chimps. Both display very similar traits (bullying, spite, apparently unprovoked aggression towards own species). I'm not sure if I'd agree with that with either dolphins or chimps, I am aware of many instances in both of what appears to us to be unprovoked, but we can't know everything that affects them. As you say though, apparently. Ego the biggie? Bigger influence on the individual perhaps, but can you have ego without imagination? CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weed_G Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 ability came before ego ..ego is a result of ability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hir Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 (edited) necessity, opposable thumb and the ability to pass on complex knowledge from one generation to the next. Man left Africa somewhere around 150,000 years ago. When we returned we found Africans living with little more technological advancement than when Out Of Africa peoples had left. Necessity, mother of invention. Edited April 30, 2010 by Hir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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