Robert Byers writes:
The essence of man clearly is our soul, spirit and mind.
Unless of course one does not believe the soul and spirit exist. Also one must also accept that something called a essence also exist. Plato and Aristotle in addition to many early theologians such as Thomas Aquinas believed in essences, but we have come along way in the past 3 to 2 thousand years.
Robert Byers writes:
Unlike animals people are motivated by love, hate,pity, envy pride, genoristy, awareness of right and wrong and rebelling against what one believes. On and on. While animals have non of these motives.
What are people if not highly intelligent animals?
Also some other animals can exibit love, shame, genoristy, awarness of right and wrong. My own dog is capable of all those things.
My dog knows the difference between right and wrong. He shares his food with other dogs, he shows guilt and shame when he is caught doing something he knows he should not. He expresses love, he expresses joy, happiness. How is it humans have the monopoly on all these traits?