What Separates Humans From Animals?

Research consensus at this time is that animals and humans differ most fundamentally in their ability to recognize themselves. Human beings are capable of self-analysis, mental time travel, imagination, abstract reasoning, cultural establishment, and morality. These higher-level skills separate us from the beasts and form the basis of our global culture as a species. As children, once we pass the age of 2 or 3, our ability to create different mental scenarios increases exponentially. Most great apes and chimpanzees have the mental acuity of a toddler, but as we continue to grow in the world and test the limits of human experience, we quickly surpass our primate cousins. Being raised within a culture that promotes and stimulates high-level cognition is crucial to this development.