Human being: the rational animal?

8 April 2013. People have always tended to perceive themselves as special creatures with a special "anthropology". Whence they take the freedom to be a "special" creature that is far above other living things remains an open question.

Ever since Aristotle, man has been regarded as the zoon logon echon, i.e. a creature that is capable of speaking and hearing. In addition, he is a zoon politikon, a sociable creature. However, all three definitions can also apply to animals: they are capable of communicating with each other and are sociable. The Aristotelian definition states that man is an animal rationale. But what is "reason"? After all, there is still a great deal of animal nature in people. Whatever people say about animals is always also a statement about themselves.

Prof. Dr. Ursula Pia Jauch, Professor of Philosophy and Culture at the University of Zurich, will look at people’s idiosyncratic relationship with animals and themselves.

Image: Photocase / spacejunkie