Single Idea 21992

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / a. Human distinctiveness]

Full Idea

Men begin to distinguish themselves from animals as soon as they begin to produce their means of subsistence.

Gist of Idea

Producing their own subsistence distinguishes men from animals

Source

K Marx / F Engels (The German Ideology [1846], p.160), quoted by Sydney Shoemaker - Some varieties of functionalism 6

Book Reference

Singer,Peter: 'Marx' [OUP 1996], p.32


A Reaction

At the very least, we must say that there had to be some intrinsic distinctiveness in place before men could do this. I like meta-thought.