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Homo sapiens is unique. All species are. But
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this sort of uniqueness is not enough for many
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40
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(probably most) people, philosophers included. For
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some reason, it is very important that the species
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to which we belong be uniquely unique. It is of
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utmost importance that the human species be
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insulated from all other species with respect to
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45
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how we explain certain qualities. Human beings
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clearly are capable of developing and learning
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languages. For some reason, it is very important
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that the waggle dance performed by bees * not
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count as a genuine language. I have never been
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50
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able to understand why. I happen to think that the
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waggle dance differs from human languages to
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such a degree that little is gained by terming them
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both "languages," but even if "language" is so
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defined that the waggle dance slips in, bees still
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55
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remain bees. It is equally important to some that
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no other species use tools. No matter how inge-
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nious other species get in the manipulation of
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objects in their environment, it is absolutely
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essential that nothing they do count as "tool use."
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60
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I, however, fail to see what difference it makes
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whether any of these devices such as probes and
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anvils, etc. are really tools. All the species
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involved remain distinct biological species no
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|
matter what decisions are made. Similar observa-
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65
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tions hold for rationality and anything a computer
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|
might do.
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