What makes mankind unique

The spirit that is in man has no consciousness of itself. This nonphysical component in the human brain does not exist in the brain of animals. Thus animals, like humans, see, hear, smell, taste and feel, but they have no spirit to cause the physical brain to function in the process of thinking, reasoning and acquiring knowledge.

Animals can be trained to perform actions based on rewards—but even then they are acting on the instinctual desire for food or safety.

Mankind, on the other hand, has imagination and creative mind power far above that of any animal. Man can compose and produce music and fine art, build phenomenal skyscrapers and construct magnificent telescopes that peer into the depths of the universe. The human spirit makes this possible. It is true that mankind, compared to animals, has astounding intellectual capacity. Why is this so? In producing a computer or in flying to the moon, he is dealing with physical matter that he can comprehend because of the human spirit within him.

But he cannot solve problems with fellow humans because this involves knowledge, understanding and application of spiritual principles he cannot truly grasp or implement without the addition of another spiritual element to his mind!

Can the human mind—having only the human spirit—understand the spiritual things of God? What must be added before a man can really comprehend spiritually revealed knowledge? Verse 11, last part; verse Comment : Man was made to need another spirit—the Holy Spirit of God!

Just as a human could not know the things of human knowledge except by the human spirit within him, so he cannot know the things of God—spiritual knowledge—except by the addition of the Spirit of God article, page 4.

Just as surely as no animal brain—such as that of a cow, for example—can comprehend or understand human affairs without the human spirit, so no human mind can fathom spiritual truths on the divine plane without the Holy Spirit!

What Makes Man Unique? The Philadelphia Trumpet, in conjunction with the Herbert W. Armstrong College Bible Correspondence Course, presents this brief excursion into the fascinating study of the Bible. Simply turn to and read in your Bible each verse given in answer to the questions. You will be amazed at the new understanding gained from this short study! The Difference Between Man and Animals 1.

It is this very special attribute of mind and character that separates men from animals. A Second Spirit Needed It is true that mankind, compared to animals, has astounding intellectual capacity. Our brains, as an extension of the universe, are now being used to understand themselves. We know these are uniquely human traits.

But as Chu points out, they also represent untapped potential. Some of us possess higher consciousness than others. The question that we now have to ask ourselves is, how do we cultivate higher consciousness, structural building, and symbolic abstract thinking among the masses?

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. All Rights Reserved. Singularity University is not a degree granting institution. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Password recovery. Singularity Hub. Topics Experts Events Videos. Singularity Group Singularity Community. So, what is it that makes us unique? Certain negative experiences often contain shreds of wisdom that you can use to find a better path, make better decisions , and pursue a more positive future.

A habit is a thing we do with great regularity. The habits we have inform and determine what aspects of our unique person we develop. A bad habit of eating unhealthy food and not exercising is going to cause lethargy and poor physical health. A good habit of brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing is going to keep your mouth healthy and pain-free.

Forming habits such as reading, meditation, exercise, or trying new things can improve mental health and well-being. You have a variety of arts that flex the creative side of your brain, from painting and drawing to dance and singing. But then you also have creativity in other forms, like developing efficient systems, building a bookcase with your own hands, or planning an aesthetically pleasing landscape.

Every person has their own unique, creative gifts which are influenced by their own vision of what beauty is. Sometimes creativity and beauty is simple effectiveness. No one else has lived your twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Though we can find common ground with other people on what constitutes quality or beauty, your tastes are largely a unique facet of your personality.

An open mind and a willingness to embrace the tastes of others can introduce you to so many great things. The areas of life and endeavors where we invest our time, energy, and effort are going to be the things we have in mind most often, which will influence what we give back and take from the world.