Why human beings are not animals | Ann Furedi

In this talk, Ann Furedi argues that Human civilization is built
on the distinctiveness of our species—the awareness that we exist
in time, with a past, present, and future, and that we are unique
in our capacity for rationality, morality, and creativity. But
this foundational understanding is being dismantled.


 


Posthumanism & Post-Anthropocentrism – The dominant academic
and cultural narratives now deny human exceptionalism. They argue
that human rationality is no more significant than a hare’s
ability to run fast.


 


The Reversal of Human Privilege – We are no longer elevating
animals to human standards (as in the Great Ape Project);
instead, we are lowering ourselves to the level of animals. Books
now teach us to embrace our animality, and even bestiality is
being reframed as just another form of queering boundaries.


 


The End of the Human Narrative – Civilization has always depended
on human consciousness, the ability to reflect, plan, and build
for future generations. If we reject the idea that humans are
special, we lose the foundation of civilization itself.