Tools, Intelligence, and Definitions of Man

doesgodexist.org ^ | Mar/Apr, 2003 | John N. Clayton

[mlc9852]

One of the most important problems involved in looking at the question of the evolution of man is the question of how you define man. From a biblical perspective, this is not much of an issue. Man is defined biblically as "that being created in the image of God." In the Genesis account, man is clearly separated from the rest of the creation by being created in God's image. The challenge to this notion involves how we know it is true. A skeptic who does not believe in God will suggest that this is just a religious ego trip with no basis of support. Many animal rights activists assert that we have no special place in the creation, and no right to use animals for food, medicine, clothing, or all the other things that we use animal material for.

Black bird carrying a cluster of berries In physical anthropology class in college, you may have been given a list of criteria that an animal must have to qualify as being human. Involved in this list would be things like brain size, the location of the foramen magnum (the opening to the brain that the spinal column passes through), the size of the eyebrow ridges, the shape of the back of the skull, the arrangement of the teeth or of the cusps in the teeth, and perhaps the ratio of body limbs. All of these characteristics are physical characteristics. Many claims that say that a specimen is an ancient ancestor of man are based upon the fact that the specimen found had one of the criteria listed above.

[mlc9852]

Interesting article.

[Oztrich Boy]

Black bird carrying a cluster of berries

Ah, Surrealism. what would we do without it?

[balrog666]

In physical anthropology class in college, you may have been given a list of criteria that an animal must have to qualify as being human.

That's awfully vague to be a definition of a specific species. But I guess you wouldn't have your strawman argument without it.

[mlc9852]

I'd welcome your definition.