Humanity, Physical or Mental?

     Today in class Israel made a very interesting comment that summed up our whole discussion quite well. He stated that humanity used to be defined by physical attributes, as in we are humans because we have arms, legs, a head, a heart, skin and so on. But somehow, most individuals have transitioned into defining humanity in terms of their mental and emotional features. What I mean by this is that philosophers now attempt to classify humans by their yearning for socialization, their ability to love, and their natural instincts to survive and defend themselves. How has this transition come about? I am not quite sure, but it appears to be a very curious one. After all, most animals are classified as being different from humans because of how they look or act, not by what they feel or need emotionally. If humans are in fact animals, why are we not classified in the same way as we were in the past? It just seems that people have gotten so wrapped up in thinking about themselves and the world around them that they have forgetten what they truly are - animals that are no more special than the others that inhabit this planet. We may have the unique capacity to analyze our own thoughts, but other animals also have unique abilities that we do not have, such as being able to fly, to change color, and to grow at incredibly fast rates. In other words, in the grand scheme of things, the human race is incredibly conceited. Why do you believe the human race sees themselves as superior to all other beings?