Are You a Stranger or My Cousin?

In my last post (February 16) I talked about how, more and more, animal nature resembles human nature.  Discoveries like the ones I mentioned in that post have paralleled discoveries that human and animal genes are often the same, or so similar, it’s clear they are simply mutations of the same ancient genes.
    By the middle of the 20th century, we learned that genes were made of DNA, and soon after, we learned that all living things used the same DNA code for making proteins from genes.  So clearly, all life must have evolved from the same, common ancestor.  But without investigating, biologists assumed that every species had its own, unique set of genes. 
    Then investigators began to find similar genes and proteins among species.  And not just among closely related species like finches or turtles or primates.  Organisms as dissimilar as clams, grasshoppers, and elephants turned out to have versions of some of the same genes.
    Perhaps as a result of these discoveries about animal and human nature, and about animal and human genes, we have made a 180-degree turn from seeing ourselves as different from other animals, to seeing ourselves as the same as other animals.
    But are we?  Or are we not?  Is this a biological question?  Is it a mental question?  A spiritual question? 
    To me, it is certainly an intriguing question.  I can think of a number of answers, which I’ll write about in my next few blog posts.  Let me know what you think!