i. Man alone has a natural countenance that looks upward
I don't perceive this to be true. Animals live very much in the present, but they look "upward"....to the ones who have been given the responsibility to look after them--namely, humans.
ii. Man alone has such a variety of facial expressions
Obviously, you haven't been around animals much. It is very easy to see various expressions on the face of an animal....joy, worry, fear,etc.
iii. Man alone has a sense of shame that expresses itself in a blush
Perhaps they can't blush, but animals can definitely feel shame. They know right from wrong as it is established by their masters, and they frequently exhibit "shame" at committing an error.
iv. Man alone speaks
Definitely untrue. The language may be different from ours, but animals communicate in many ways...through sound and body language. Listen to your cat or dog....they have very specific sounds for certain things, and others of their species understand these sounds. Watch what happens when one cat sees you take the milk container out of the refrigerator. He/she will "ask" for milk. The other cats within hearing range know that that particular meow means "milk", and they all come running. Next thing you know, they are all repeating that "word".
v. Man alone possesses personality, morality, and spirituality
Once again, I disagree. I have three horses, two dogs, seven cats, several fish, finches, and two chinchillas. Each one of these creatures has their own distinct personality. They also exhibit a form of morality, although it is not the same as ours. Spirituality? Well, I don't know about this. Perhaps they do, but I don't understand it.
There are definitely differences, but animals are not merely animated furballs. They are creatures with intelligence, personality, and societal mores. They are NOT us, and they should, therefore, not be judged by our standards.
