Human Exceptionalism

So... Human exceptionalism. The idea that humans are naturally or intrinsically better than any other species anywhere.

===

Recently, I was shocked to find out that people not only have this idea in their heads, but they are proud to uphold the idea. I never really considered that anyone could be proud of such an idea, since, to me, saying humans are better than any other species is the same as saying that whites are better than any other race out there.

I've heard multiple arguments for the idea, but all of them are lacking. The more reasonable arguments I've heard are as follows:

Humans are more intelligent
Humans do more for the world
Humans are different than any other animal

The first is the most common. It claims humans are more intelligent, therefore, we are worth more. Founded on the two premises: Humans are more intelligent than animals. Intelligence is value.

The first is more than likely true. The second, however, is not. We try to claim that what we are best at, intelligence, is what determines worth. Why though, should intelligence equal worth? Why not adaptability? Or survivability? Why not speed or size? Why not apex predator status?

The premise is flawed. It tries to define what worth is, in order to prove we have the most worth. It doesn't try to define worth to find out what does have the most worth.

The second argument is also flawed. Humans do not do more for the world. In general, humans harm the world more than most other species. The argument is really saying, humans do more for ourselves than any other species, which seems obvious, but should not be used to determine actual worth, although it could define relative worth. That is, we are worth more to ourselves than other species.

But even that isn't true. Many humans are not useful to others. Some actively harm us. Yet, according to the idea of human exceptionalism, they are worth more than, for example, a rescue dog, who may do far more for us than even a normal productive person would.

And finally, the idea that humans are different than any other animal. Much like the first, except this one claims uniqueness is value. Again, much like the first, it disregards uniqueness of other species. It looks at similarities between animals to claim they are the same, and disregards human similarities to animals.

---

Really, at it's core, we are driven biologically to believe we are special among all others. It's a mindset that must exist so that we can thrive as a species. However, it's not backed by reasoning. It's the same feeling that gave rise to racism, still in existence.

Why Religion and Spirituality Exist

This thought occurred to me, and was strong enough to convince me to make this blog.

===

Why does religion exist, and why does it exist so universally? Why do people hold on to so many ideas of their spirituality so strongly?

---

Religion exists because it covers up nonexistence. Our minds are set up that we cannot easily imagine nothing, just as we cannot easily imagine infinity.

Without religious beliefs, what happens to us after we die? We cease to exist. However, the average human cannot imagine themselves not existing. When asked, they may imagine an eternity of blackness, or an eternity without thought, but even then, that implies consciousness of some form.

Just as when you sleep, time seems to pass instantaneously, without consciousness to mark it's passing. But we can only imagine that state of unconsciousness once we wake, and have some second frame of reference to make sense of things. To say an infinite amount of time would seem as no time at all, forever, doesn't make sense in our minds.

So, naturally, people imagine a "waking". They imagine an afterlife. A life that must exist after our first frame of reference, to make sense of that previous conundrum.

It's the same, then, for God. God is the thought that we use to fill up all the void in the world. What existed before the universe? Nothing. Therefore, we imagine a God to fill the space. What will exist once the universe ends, if it ever does? Nothing, therefore, God.

And for souls as well. What are we when we cease to be? Nothing, therefore, we imagine that we must have souls, to continue our existence.

---