to me, the other animals seem far more innocent than the human species. The humans also, for better or worse, seem to dominate them.

They say that parrots, dolphins and chimps are the most intelligent, on the level of a five year old human child. Humans are also far less predictable. As far as intelligence, there are many levels of human intelligence.

According to the research of DNA we are very different. We are even vastly different from the Neandrathal. This is true even of the oldest example of the homo-sapien.

In regards to contemplation of the self, Which self? The higher self, the sacred self, is not the animal nature which is basic and instinctual. The higher nature is always there, but it is not nesessarily expressed or realized. All humans are not in contact with the higher aspects of their nature, and they can even degenerate to a sub-human level. One very big difference between the human and animal is that it is the human who wrestles with ethical delimas. Animal cunning and human intellect are not the same thing.