Animal Quote by Medard Boss
“We declare that only man exists. This is not to say that material, inorganic nature and nonhuman beings-animals and plants-are in any sense unreal, insubstantial, or illusory because they do not so exist. We merely state that the reality of these nonhuman realms differs from that of human existence, whose primary characteristic is Da-sein (literally being-the-there)... Man as man is present... in a manner wholly different from... inanimate things.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophy: Existentialism, Heideggerian concepts, 20th century
The quote asserts human existence is uniquely real, not denying other beings but emphasizing a distinct mode of being called Da‑sein.
In simple terms: Humans have a special kind of existence.
Key Takeaway
Recognize human uniqueness while respecting other life.
Themes
existentialism
humanism
ontology
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- ethical debates
- environmental policy
- education on consciousness
- interpersonal relationships
Key Concepts
Da‑sein
being‑the‑there
anthropocentrism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing human distinctness affect our treatment of nature?
- Can we balance human uniqueness with ecological responsibility?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the interdependence of all life forms.
![“[T]he changing, functional, causal, and conditioned world, present to ordinary sensory and mental experience, was what was ultimately real. To be real [...] means to be capable of producing effects in the concrete world. Thus a seed, a jug, wind in the trees, a desire, a thought, the pain in one’s…” quote by Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6bd/stephen-batchelor-5328_atheism_t-he-changing-functional-causal-and-cond_2931131.jpg)
![“As our mother earth is a mere speck in the sunbeam in the illimitable universe, so man himself is but a tiny grain of protoplasm in the perishable framework of organic nature. [This] clearly indicates the true place of man in nature, but it dissipates the prevalent illusion of man's supreme…” quote by Ernst Haeckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ee4/ernst-haeckel-20972_arrogance_as-our-mother-earth-is-a-mere-speck-in-t_1972689.jpg)
