What makes a person and to what extent can animals be persons?

out of survival instinct and necessity so they do not have choice because it is the only choice which is the equivalent of having no choice at all. Animal’s system of instincts are derived from their environment and allows them to survive. All animals’ actions are related to survival; they live with one goal- stay alive as long as possible. Luxury is the opposite survival and it is a product of choice. Normal emotionally healthy people can choose to do things not related to survival and even detrimental to it; the human power of choice is so dangerous because it allows us to choose to be disobedient and it allows us to choose luxury which is hand in hand with laziness. Looking at the Bible’s Genesis, Adam and Eve had a free choice when God gave them choice to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. The humans were given the divine power of choice, because no other creature has choice, not even the highest of angels, and for good reason. Blind to many, the Genesis story reveals much of the genius and wisdom of God because the gift of choice to an imperfect being with the expectation of positive outcome is flawed from the beginning. Now, God being able to see past, present and future, knew what would happen. As a matter of fact, it had to happen. God is not created and he is perfect because of it. Angels are created thus they are not perfect either but their ability to choose is silenced rendering them as threatening as slaves. Mankind was not perfect in the beginning but God had this goal in mind. The only way for a created being to achieve perfection is through grace, blood sacrifice, and redemption and even then, when mankind is restored, we will not be perfect as God is but we will be second to him. This basic Bible concept is easily brought to light in the opening lines of Genesis when God proclaims we are made in his image. This phenomenon of choice is destructive and destruction defines the human race perfectly. Coupled with our divine ability to choose, mankind has been given the power of knowledge and with it morality, thus making us the most powerful entity on the earth. The tree of knowledge in the Genesis story gave Adam and Eve knowledge of good and evil, meaning they knew evil, they knew shame, how to be disobedient, disrespectful, and malevolent. This knowledge of evil corrupted their innocence and purity, and cost them paradise. Though they were cast out of the garden, not because they discovered good and evil, but because they disobeyed God; with the knowledge they gained, they knew wrong from right so they were ashamed of the wrong choice they had made, which is why they hid from God. Animals do not know right from wrong- at least, it is not anywhere as developed as our concept. This is unique- only in humanity, and making us human. Humans also have the capability to learn and think to an unyielding degree. We have the potential to hold such knowledge that it has never been reached before. This is known as intelligence and with it joins innovation and invention which has allowed us to domineer over the earth, just as God said in the Garden: “You will be ruler over all things”. Intelligence and knowledge of man is what makes us a person.In conclusion, the Genesis story, as well as many other tales reveal, concepts of humanity give us a special entitlement on the earth. Intelligence and choice allow us to accomplish God’s goal to tend to the earth and rule over it. The rift between man and beast is wide; we vary on many planes that all branch out of these two factors. We worry because we have the freedom of choice. We get out of shape and become lazy because our innovations and inventions allow us to live a life where survival is not a goal. Mankind is special as Genesis reveals.