What's an "animal" to you?

[Northstar]

So I was talking with a person I know, and in the course of conversation, I discovered that we have very different ideas of what an "animal" is!

I'm interested in finding out how all you people on the Dis use the word animal. I'm NOT interested in finding out "who's right?"... as far as I'm concerned, we can function with different ways of defining a word as long as I know what you mean and you know what I mean!

Please answer the poll if you're interested. Check all that apply.

 

[skater]

Can you clarify?

 

[Northstar]

Can you clarify?

Sorry. Took me a minute to get the poll entered, and you got in there with your reply!

I think the poll will clarify.

 

[rie'smom]

They're all animals. We're just a higher order.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
class: Mammalia
order: Primata
family: Hominidae
Genus:H o m o
Species: sapiens
our scientific name is H o m o sapiens.

 

[Slinky Dog]

All are animals.

 

[skater]

Sorry. Took me a minute to get the poll entered, and you got in there with your reply!

I think the poll will clarify.

Okay. Sorry. I think I've been on the DIS too long today .

I was wondering if you were going down the path of calling some men animals - as in "you pig," etc. (Its obviously time for me to get off the computer and be productive ).

I understand the science behind the answers that all or most will give. And I love taxonomy. However, I will say that my own religious beliefs prevent me from putting humans in the same category as animals - but before I get lectured, I will again say that I have studied and I do understand the science. Really.

 

[Angelhalo]

They're all animals. We're just a higher order.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
class: Mammalia
order: Primata
family: Hominidae
Genus:H o m o
Species: sapiens
our scientific name is H o m o sapiens.

Exacatly. Christian here who believes they are all animals. They should all have the exact same number of votes.

 

[Northstar]

So far the poll is confirming that we don't all use the word "animal" to refer to all of these... well... these critters.

 

[bicker]

I regularly have some interesting insight into this phenomenon, when folks try to convince me that things are vegetarian when they, surely, are not. That among these (in recent memory) include tuna fish (fish are animals, folks); shrimp (shellfish is still fish); gefilte fish (a Jewish specialty, but still made from fish!); California Rolls (surimi is mostly ground-up fish); soup (almost always made from chicken stock); rice (also very often made with chicken stock); and honorable mention, gelatin (made from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones). And don't get me started on clothing (leather shoes, for instance - cows are animals).

 

[hereyago]

They're all animals. We're just a higher order.

True, but I am not sure if I agree with the higher order part. We are the only animal, who could have a feeling about danger and still go ahead and not avoid it.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Yep, ALL are animals...

 

[npmommie]

Definition of ANIMAL
1
: any of a kingdom (Animalia) of living things including many-celled organisms and often many of the single-celled ones (as protozoans) that typically differ from plants in having cells without cellulose walls, in lacking chlorophyll and the capacity for photosynthesis, in requiring more complex food materials (as proteins), in being organized to a greater degree of complexity, and in having the capacity for spontaneous movement and rapid motor responses to stimulation
2
a : one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings b : mammal; broadly : vertebrate
3
: a human being considered chiefly as physical or nonrational; also : this nature
4
: a person with a particular interest or aptitude <a political animal>
5
: matter, thing <the theater…is an entirely different animal — Arthur Miller>; also : creature 1c
— an·i·mal·like\-mə(l)-ˌlīk\ adjective

 

[Magpie]

We're all animals, but I personally have a closer connection to people. If I had to choose between saving a human's life or a non-human animal's, I'd choose the human. I take good care of my pets, but I feel no guilt about eating my fellow animals.

That's because I'm human, and my species comes first. Usually. I'd save a cockroach's life before I'd save Russell Williams. I think calling him an "animal" would be an insult to animals.

 

[SandrA9810]

This is a pretty cool theory.

I don't think calling us animals is insulting. But I wouldn't. Although in some cases, I really don't place us all above the "Animal Kingdom".

 

[NHdisneylover]

It depends on the context of the situation. Scientifically, all are animals. Often, "animal" is used to me all (scientific) animals except humans.

I did not vote because I wasn't sure how to incorporate the two meanings of animal into the vote.

 

[bekkiz]

I thought we were talking about some other situation, like, if I saw a tapier for example, I might say "I saw a cool animal today" but if I saw a really cool bug, I would never refer to it as an animal. Same with a human. Now intellectually, I understand they are all animals, but that wouldn't be my go-to word to describe all of them.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Wow. This is certainly eye-opening to me. I was astounded that fewer people thought humans weren't animals. I'd certainly put us at the top of the list because we behave worse than animals do.

I chose deer, whale (mammal actually), penguin and human. I guess my definition of animal is anything that's either a mammal or can grow fur (of which humans do both). A lizard, fish or insect aren't any beings that I'd term animals, although I'm sure they can be anamalistic.

 

[hambirg]

Hmmm. . and here I thought it was really simple. I define animal as anything that isn't a mineral or a plant.

 

[Planogirl]

These numbers should be even. I'm surprised to see the different numbers with insects losing the poll. Unless they're a mineral, they are animals too.

 

[disykat]

I answered the poll based on the OP. I was thinking along the lines of "what would I call an animal in conversation?" I left insects and fish off the animal list, not because I don't think they are animals, but rather because I would always tend to discribe those as specifically 'fish' or 'insects.'

In general, I tend to discrimate between mammals and other animals - calling the other animals by more specific terms. However, I admit to also generally refering to most reptiles and amphibians as animals as well.