OSung, I've just come back to this thread and spotted your comment re' "giving you a serve".
Sorry, I've reviewed my posts too and I just can't see that, I've only offered my personal thoughts on the subject as far as I can see?
To my mind your and my positions aren't all that disparate,
I noticed you referred to a long career in the gendarmes, perhaps that has had more of an effect on you than most people can understand?
Desensitisation is a common side-effect of such a life, it pleases me to see that you don't appear to have fallen prey to that.
I worked for the Salvo's in Crisis Care and Accommodation for years, and as a volunteer with various organisations for many more, I saw what you cops have to deal with often and can only admire anyone who can do that job and retain their sanity, let alone a sense of humanity, onya indeed!
I actually enjoy your posts, even if I don't always understand them.

Pesky Boy>> Some of us understand the sheer insignificance of our species in the overall totality of all existence.<<

PB, in answering OSW’s quandary as to why we are here I introduced the concept of our “unique” consciousness and its worth to us.

Why do we understand that there will be a tomorrow, there is no reason for it. Other social creatures such as ants and bees do not possess this concept yet they do collectively build today for a tomorrow.

Why do we have an understanding of our own mortality, what advantage does it give us? All other creatures seem to survive with a “self preservation sense” that guides their physical movements; they know instinctively that jumping from a cliff is the wrong decision.

Why do we carry the concept of morality, it is certainly not needed for a homogenous productive society as again the ants and bees exhibit social harmony without a morality.

Given the DNA variant between all living things is negligible the question of why our consciousness is unique has spawned religions and kept stand up philosophers in business for thousands of years.

But we are different and when we find out why we will know if the answer is 42.

Sonofgloin, regarding what you call our unique consciousness: It is indeed unique, just like the consciousness of a whale is unique, the consciousness of an ant is unique, the consciousness of a bird is unique and the consciousness of any alien life would also be unique.

Your belief that animals have no concept of a tomorrow is a belief. I say otherwise, as animals constantly show they have a concept of the future. A bird doesn't build it's nest because it's so stupid it doesn't know what a nest is for. The bird knows through observation, copying and learning that a nest is an insurance policy for tomorrow. The smart bird progresses and prospers, and the bird that doesn't learn sufficiently well falls by the wayside. Just because birds can't communicate their knowledge to us in human language and in terms we can fully comprehend, does not mean birds don't possess awareness, feelings, knowledge and a concept of the future.

Yes, humans have a concept of their own mortality. Animals also have knowledge of their own mortality. If you've ever observed animals who are witnessing the imminent death of other animals, you'd then have an understanding of their fear and trepidation. The sense of self preservation you mention regarding animals, is the SAME sense of self preservation our species has.

Our mortality concept exists not because we have the intellectual capacity to write it down in words, it exists because it exists. The same mortality concept exists in animals, they just don't express it in our manner via language/writings.

You wrote, "We are different and when we find out why we will know". When we find out why is the time when we'll fully comprehend we are not nearly as different as we 'think' we are. Homo sapiens is not special, nor specially chosen by a mythical creature, nor the centre of existence, nor the only creature with self awareness and feelings, nor the 'only' worthy creature. Our arrogance and sense of superiority is manifest and hopefully one day we'll know better and treat all life with due respect.

I'd like to throw a few more thoughts into this
discussion. Popular and perhaps misguided views about
our species abound and persist. For example, a
substantial majority of people seem to agree with the
statement - "Human nature being what it is, there will
always be wars and conflict."

The problem with such ideas about "human nature" is that
they are deeply coloured by the cultural beliefs of the
societies in which they are found. In the industrialised
countries of the world, particularly in the West, we tend
to think of people as being "naturally" self-seeking,
selfish, competititive, and even agressive.

But this kind of behaviour is virtually unknown among
many of the "primitive" people of the world - in New Guinea,
central Africa, the Himalayas. There are many other
societies who never have wars at all, and their inhabitants
obviously have a very different conception of "human nature."

In fact, our behaviour is probably a product of an interaction
between our basic biological heritage and the learning
experiences of the particular culture in which we happen to
live.

PB>> Sonofgloin, regarding what you call our unique consciousness: It is indeed unique, just like the consciousness of a whale is unique, the consciousness of an ant is unique<<

So PB, our consciousness is not unique? Give me the name of one creature that kills another for a “personal” motive....one removed from defence or sustenance............just one.........any one.

Foxy: in New Guinea, central Africa, the Himalayas. There are many other societies who never have wars at all.

I beg to differ Foxy. I don't know where you would get that from.
PNG tribes are notorious for Warfare & Payback Warfare.

It was an Englishman who taught the Zulus how to fight Western Style against their traditional enemy. Traditionally they did what the early Greeks &, Romans & Levant peoples did. Put forward your Best & Bravest in single combat until one side or the other called enough. (See Horatio at the bridge) Did you know he went home & killed his wife. She was what the war was over. She had been having an affair with the other King who was coming to claim her.

Warfare between African tribes was always on going.

Even in South & Central America the various tribes were always at one another's throats.

The Middle Eastern tribes have been at it for 10000 years.

The Germanic tribes did Warfare for sport.