From a scientific point of view, the ’specialness’ of the human species means very little. We are one of but a vast array of species who have only arisen in the last blink of earth’s existence. As we gaze at the galaxies surrounding us and focus on the proteins and cells within us, we realize that we are but a small part of our universe composed of the same tiny molecules that compose everything else around us. A small part of something big, made up of the same materials that surround us.
Physicist Richard Feynman said “Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. The principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.”
We should not fool ourselves in thinking that we are more, or less, than the world that surrounds us, perhaps not in a religious sense, but in a sense of the interdependence and the sharing of a mutual habitat. We are not special in our level of consciousness, our love for other members of our species, or our ability to work hard. Technology has given us a tremendous advantage as well as a tremendous responsibility to use our tools for good. No species can change and mold the environment around it to the extent that human beings can. Therefore it is our responsibility as impactful, but not special, members of this planet we share to modify our habitat in a manner which benefits all, not just some.
JR.Stanley 