It seems to me more and more like the biggest, only real difference between most animals and humans is their lack of sophisticated communication. Certainly they communicate; but they do not have access to our rich verbal symbols with which we can convey anything imaginable. Perhaps you could add the lack of a prehensile thumb and deft fingers to build tools with, but I think communication is even more fundamental for the recipe of civilization.
Anyone can empirically recognize some form of intelligence in animals, whether it be your pet dog, a smart street crow or a beluga whale.
Additionally, I've never found the relative brain size theory sufficiently satisfactory to explain our superiority. How can the brain of an elephant, or a blue whale (about 7 times the mass of our brain), be that much inferior? I don't think it is; I think it is just different, and that we are not capable to really empathize with it enough (unless we reach some absurd degree of anthropomorphizing it).
If we accept these premises, what does it make to our worldview and the morality of how we treat animals?
Anyone can empirically recognize some form of intelligence in animals, whether it be your pet dog, a smart street crow or a beluga whale.
Additionally, I've never found the relative brain size theory sufficiently satisfactory to explain our superiority. How can the brain of an elephant, or a blue whale (about 7 times the mass of our brain), be that much inferior? I don't think it is; I think it is just different, and that we are not capable to really empathize with it enough (unless we reach some absurd degree of anthropomorphizing it).
If we accept these premises, what does it make to our worldview and the morality of how we treat animals?