What Makes Humans Unique

What makes humans unique? How do Humans differ from other species? These questions have been on the minds of social scientists over the years. Some have said that humans are just like other primates. While some others have mentioned that humans did not exactly descend from chimpanzees or gorillas, but it might be possible that humans and other primates have shared a common ancestor. It’s true that they share a lot of similarities but on the other hand they also have a lot of differences. The three main obvious disparities among humans and primates are Bipedalism, Language, and the Brain.

One human trait that primates and any other kinds of animals do not share is вЂ?Bipedalism’, which is the ability to walk upright. Some primates such as gorillas or chimpanzees have many features similar to that of humans which include two feet and two hands, but even though they have these features, they are unable to use them the way humans do. These animals can “…walk upright not for long distances and not while performing tasks.” (Wayne Sproule, pg. 23) The pelvic bone for humans rises above the hip joint, and is much shorter and broader then it is for apes. This shape enables the hip muscle to steady the body during each step. Due to the narrow structure of the pelvic bone, humans are able to perform tasks while standing and walk over long distances. Bipedalism is probably one of the biggest attribute that differentiates humans from other primates. But some others features that make humans unique are Language and the human brain.

In language, humans imaginatively join words together in a never-ending variety of sentencesвЂ"each with a different meaningвЂ"according to a set of mental rules, or grammar. Language presents the ability to communicate complex concepts. It also allows people to exchange information about both past, present and future events, and about objects that are not really there (present). Many social scientists believe that “…language is what finally separates humans from all other species.” (Wayne Sproule, pg.24) Animals and humans both are able to communicate, yet the difference is that animals use signs, all sorts of gestures and or calls while humans simply talk! Language gives people many adaptive advantages, including the skill of planning for the future, to communicate the site of food or dangers to other members of a social group, and to tell stories that unite a group, such as histories. However, words, sentences, and languages cannot be conserved like bones or tools, so the evolution of language is probably one of the most complicated topics to examine