The example of the bird’s nest once again highlights
the fact that it is not only humans that are subjects. Animals also function
subjectively in many of the modal aspects. In philosophical anthropology the
tendency has been to emphasis the differences between human persons and
animals. The attempt is then made to identify some characteristic of being
human that is distinctive. We are different from animals because of, so it has
been claimed, our rationality, our moral sense, our use of language. These and other features are then used to
identify the human mind or soul. While
this approach is rejected in reformational philosophy it has often made the
point that only humans function subjectively in the post-psychic aspects. Here,
however, we shall follow Stafleu who rejects this approach and points to
evidence of animal functioning in higher modal aspects. He also argues that
emphasising this point of supposed difference detracts from another view of
this philosophy, namely that a person is primarily religious.
To begin with we should note
that it is not only birds and mammals that form things, but also insects such
as bees and ants, spiders, and fish. It will also be difficult to maintain that
animals have no distinguishing abilities. It is sometimes stated that human logical
thinking is necessarily based on the use of concepts, and that animal
distinguishing lacks this ability. It is true that animals lack concepts, but
it is more accurate to say that conceptual thinking is opened-up
thinking, theoretical thought. Natural thought is not necessarily linked up
with conceptual thought. Animal thought is natural, not opened-up, i.e., not
anticipating later modal aspects. Conceptual thought implies the formation
of concepts, hence it anticipates the formative aspect. It also anticipates the
lingual aspect, because concepts are worded. Hence, if animals do not use
conceptual thought, this does not mean that they are not functioning subjectively
in the logical modal aspect. Further some animals display a primitive use of
language. The significance of the dance of bees is well known. Birds are able
to warn each other against danger. In groups of apes a recognizable system of
communication is established, and some have been taught elementary
sign-language. Many animals display social behaviour: bees, ants, birds during
their seasonal migration, mammals living in herds, families of apes, and so. A
certain amount of division of labour is sometimes unmistakable. Studies have
identified primitive ethical behaviour among some animals.
Making these points might worry some, as it may
appear to down play the difference between humans and animals. However this
need not be the case at all. Firstly the key difference, which we shall come to
later, is that humans are inescapably religious. We should also note that the
subjective functioning of animals in the post-psychic aspects is invariantly
primitive and instinctive. Stafleu here
makes use of the distinction between the retrocipatory direction and the
anticipatory direction of the modal aspects (discussed in §19). Human
activity, because of its religious character, is opened-up, anticipating,
transcending and so significantly more varied and sophisticated than animals.
Crucially human activity involves responsibility and so freedom. When we
compare human language to animal communication we perceive a huge difference,
so to when we compare human and animal social structures. But also lower down
the modal scale we have to acknowledge huge differences. To spill human blood
is quite different to spilling animal blood, and human saliva is not the same
as animal saliva. When the members of the Sanhedrin spat on our Lord at his
trial (Matthew 26:67), all the hate-filled contempt of their evil hearts for
His suffering person was in this spittle. To view the human person as basically
an animal with respect to our body and human with respect to our soul is to
contradict the reality of our practical experience. Animals are glorious and
enigmatic creatures who can bring us to a greater understanding and
appreciation of God (Job 39-41), however humans in every fibre of their being
respond to God as religious creatures made in God’s image.
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