# One Biology and the Status of Humans

## TL;DR

The paper argues that humans are biologically similar to other animals and that recognizing this can lead to more ethical and sustainable behavior toward the environment and other species.

## Contribution

The paper introduces the concept of 'one biology' to challenge the notion of human exceptionalism in biological and ethical contexts.

## Key findings

- Humans share biological functions with other animals, such as DNA, immune systems, and cognitive abilities.
- Human activities are causing harm to ecosystems and species, including those critical to human survival.
- A shift in attitude toward valuing all sentient beings is needed for sustainability and ethical living.

## Abstract

Our understanding of the world, our preservation of it, and our species have been harmed by the view that humans are fundamentally different from other animals. A range of areas of animal biology have been considered and it is difficult to find any biological function that is solely human or where there is a sharp distinction between humans and all other animal species. Biology overlaps for humans and non-humans; so, there is only one biology and humans are animals. To emphasize that humans fit closely into the biology of other animals does not contradict the key principles of ethics. Some of the impacts of exploitation by humans have effects on populations of living organisms or on physical qualities of the world environment that have the potential to reduce human resources or even prevent the continuation of human life. There should be a reduction in activities that over-emphasize the importance of humans and an increase in strategies that have a balanced view of humans in relation to all other species in the living world. Another way to state this is that in every human activity there should be moves towards sustainability, taking account of all of the components of sustainability.

Biology overlaps for humans and non-humans; so, there is only one biology and humans are animals. All human biological functions can also be found, to some degree, in other animal species. Examples mentioned are DNA and characteristics; cell type and structure; efficiency of muscles and other locomotor mechanisms; efficiency of immune and other body protection mechanisms; sensory functioning; cognition and memory; specific cognitive abilities; and ability to have moral concepts and behave in a moral way. What is the current status of humans? Humans are destroying many other species in the world, as well as whole habitats and ecosystems. Since resources important for humans are amongst those being harmed, and there is, at present, little sign of sufficient change in human behaviour, humans themselves are amongst the species that could be destroyed. Long before this happens, immoral damage to many non-human individuals and much of the rest of the world is occurring. The change in attitude needed for all humans is to place less value on immediate human benefit and more value on benefit for our fellow beings in the world. When the word ‘we’ is used, it should not just include humans. It should, at least, include all sentient beings.