CategoryHuman exceptionalism
NYU Law School Clinic Attempting to Obtain Copyright for a Forest
The claim is that the forest is the co-creator of a song in which nature sounds are used
How Many Random Blips Are Needed To Make a Human?
Just asking for a friend… no, seriously, a look at some recent news from human paleontology
Podcast: The Challenge of Proving Creativity in AI
AI researcher Mappouras discusses the limitations of the Lovelace test for AI creativity with host Robert Marks
Was the Legendary Jane Goodall (1934–2025) the End of an Era?
Perhaps. A more realistic appraisal of the reality of human uniqueness is needed if we hope to prevent the extinction of chimpanzees in the wild
Baboons as the New Humans: The Disney Effect at work
As a recent review in Science shows, the Disney Effect allows even research scientists to ignore the differences between animal minds and the human mind
Only Bioethics Can Save the Planet! Really?
Some bioethicists want to include “planetary health” among the disciplines for which they propose ethical rules
Animals Taught Us Culture Though They Don’t Have It Themselves?
Researchers tie themselves into some odd knots trying to demonstrate that humans are just like other life forms
Do Humans and Chimpanzees Differ by Only 1 Percent?
Of course not, but now that a more likely genetics figure has been published, some researchers are having a surprisingly hard time accepting it
IVF Clinic Bomber Infected by Anti-Humanism
According to media reports, Bartkus, who died at the scene, was a “‘pro-mortalist’ (believing death is preferable to living) or an ‘anti-natalist’ (believing no more human beings should be born).”
A Challenge to Pale Blue Dot-ology: Earth Is Significant
The “pale blue dot lost in space” view of Earth seems to brand science as an intellectual property of materialist atheism. And evidence isn’t what keeps it going
ET Doesn’t Need to Exist in Order to Do His Real Job
His real job seems to be to support a lame argument about why humans are not exceptional. But the very idea of his existence works just as well
Why Life Beyond Earth Would Prove Human Exceptionalism
A science writer thinks that finding life on other planets in our galaxy would somehow put a dent in our “self-importance”
The Nature of Mind, Free Will, and Human Uniqueness: A Deep Dive
The book Minding the Brain sparks some interesting discussions about what is really unique about the human mind
At Quanta: High Bird Intelligence Developed on a Different Path
High intelligence developing on different paths is consistent with convergent evolution. It’s also consistent with design in nature
At a Science Journal: Humanity Is Just So Doomed
Opinions differ as to the details of what will wipe us all out — or maybe not
In Moral Terms, Are Microbes More Important Than People?
Jeff Sebo advocates widening the moral circle to include, plants, microbes, and computers in a sort of radical equality
Clinical Psychologist Defends Human Exceptionalism
Gregg Henriques is responding to an evolutionary biologist who sees recognition of human uniqueness as “speciesism,” akin to racism and sexism
Defining an Ape Theory of Mind Into Existence
We are told that “recognizing when someone else lacks information” has been thought to be a distinctly human trait. Really?