inner processes of his own body. Man has been correcting and re-creating 

 himself, improving on his own "nature". 



More than Beast Man must eat and sleep, like the very beasts. But 

 it is foolish to say, "Man is only an animal", for as Shakespeare suggests, 

 man can do more. Whoever can read these words senses that the ordinary 

 person has in him something that shares in mankind's advances from beast- 

 liness and savagery. The advances have indeed been slow and uneven. 

 There have been many setbacks. And it is true that within each man lies a 

 cruel and cunning brute. But in addition, man is able to dream beyond all 

 that is, and to strive toward the highest that his dreams can create. No 

 other species can do that. 



In Brief 



The human body, with its parts, resembles in its structure the bodies of 

 other backboned animals. 



Man shares all the characteristics which are common to the members 

 of the group mammals, and more strikingly those of the primates. 



Man differs from the other primates in his erect walk. 



Man's hands and arms differ more from his feet and legs than do the 

 forelimbs and hindlimbs of other primates. 



Man's hand and brain are the organs that have most distinguished him 

 from other animals. 



In several respects man is quite inferior to other animals. 



The distinctive chin and mouth of man are closely related to the fact 

 that he is the only animal that uses articulate speech. 



Man always exists normally in groups; that is, man is a social animal. 



Man learns from experience to a much greater extent than any other 

 animal, and he preserves and passes on his experience from generation to 

 generation through his language and social institutions. 



Man's capacity to imagine, to abstract, and to create exceeds anything 

 comparable among the other animals. 



EXPLORATIONS AND PROJECTS 



1 To compare the structure of various mammals, visit a zoo or circus where 

 several different mammals can be observed, or visit a museum in which skeletons 

 of several mammals and other vertebrates can be studied. Give particular atten- 

 tion to the general framework and limbs of the body. Identify structures which 

 correspond to your shoulder and collarbone, upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, 



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