(August 23, 2013 at 6:18 pm)Gilgamesh Wrote: It doesn't. There are other things that separate us. Other species just don't have the capacity to destroy nature, and all forms of life, to the extent humans do. Most other species don't have the luxury of having wants that are also separate from their needs, and their needs aren't incredibly harmful to the earth.
You might want to brush up on your ancient history. There have been life forms which have directly contributed to planetary mass extinctions in the past. Algae, in particular.
What sets us apart is that we are uniquely capable of recognizing the threat we pose to the environment and taking steps to reverse the damage and contain further effects. Any other life form will take no such cautions and grow until it can't anymore.
