When it’s said that humans are classified as animals, what does that mean? Is it saying that humans are non human animals (like a dog or a cat)?

Question

Animals by the definition of how the word is used in conversation. Is it stating humans are non human animals? Or just based off certain characteristics that humans have and that animals also have?

So, it’s not saying that humans are animals by the same definition of the word animal that we use in everyday conversation to refer to non-human animals like dogs or cats?

Answer 1

Yes, humans are classified as animals in the biological sense. In everyday conversation, when people use the term "animal," they are typically referring to living organisms that are part of the kingdom Animalia, which includes a wide range of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms with characteristics such as mobility, heterotrophy (obtaining food by consuming other organisms), and the absence of cell walls.

Therefore, when considering the scientific classification and characteristics, humans are indeed animals. However, it's important to note that in everyday language, the term "animal" is sometimes used more colloquially to refer to non-human animals, making a distinction between humans and other creatures. The use of the term "beast" may carry connotations of wild or untamed behavior, but scientifically and biologically, humans fall within the category of animals

Answer 2

In biology, there are often different definitions of our everyday words. Whenever something is referred to as an "animal," it is referring to belonging to the kingdom of Animalia. You may be familiar with the biological classifications Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. This is how biologists classify and organize living things. Two of the common kingdoms we talk about in biology is the kingdom of Animalia (animals) and the kingdom of Plantae (plants).

So to answer your question, yes. Humans, dogs, cats, cows, fish, etc.. are all classified as animals (even though this is different than the traditional definition of our pets and farm animals). In biology, these are all considered animals because they belong to the kingdom of Animalia.

In regard to the characteristics of animals, an animal is basically anything that is not a bacteria or a plant. Animals can further be divided also into vertebrates, invertebrates, and many more different categories.

Let me know if you have any more questions, I hope this helps!