The important difference of mankind from other animals or living things is the ongoing progress it enjoys. The progress in science and art enables humankind to harness natural forces to the benefit of its life and build civilizations. In the past, when the progress led to an invention that will posed any threat on the humanity, the humans was aware of the harm and evaded it and tried to use the invention to the benefit of the humanity. I believe that the progress is inevitable for the humankind and that even the slowing of this progress may lead to the vanishing of the human being voracious to consume more.
In the absence of progress in fields of science, and art, and philosophy we would live like animals without growing crops, feeding animals and establishing cities. In the past, a lot of species once began to exist then vanished as they could not accommodate themselves to the changing living conditions or could not control the environment that they lived in. I believe that the human being is able to change his or herself to changing conditions and control the environment. The progress enjoyed in almost all fields contributed to this ability.
I admit that the progress in certain field may harm the humanity. The progress in atom physics brought about the atom bomb. Having acknowledged the harm of atom bomb in the second-world war, the humankind has never resorted to it since then. But the progress in atom physics also brought about the nuclear energy and a lot inventions in medicine which a lot cancer patients used them to defeat the cancer. These treatments are still used and the progress in this field is still serving to the humankind.
Some people may put the blame on the progress for the pollution and the denigration of forests. But I think it is more about insatiable demand of the human being. I rather believe that the progress in technology and science will prevent the world from being polluted and will bring about a more green world.
To sum up, the progress is inevitable process that makes the humankind different from other beings. Without progress, that makes up for ever increasing human needs, the competition for limited resources will turn to a clash involving all humankind which will lead to a collapse for the humanity and world will become a hell for all of us.
