What does it mean to classify a human as an animal? Does that mean that humans are in fact animals? Is this saying humans are “non human” animals?

Question

Humans are classified as animals. What does that really mean? Is that basically stating humans are wild animals? Like “non-human” animals?

Answer 1

In biology, there are no moral judgements placed upon hierarchy of animals. The term "animal" is just used to denote an organism that is not a plant. While some religions and personal morality might rebel and disagree with the classification, it is not meant in a pejorative sense. It is not equating a human to a slug. Biology is simply stating both the human and the snail are alive and not plants.