Here is an article with the same title as this thread.... http://www.pagannews.com/cgi-bin/articles1.pl?260 Too much here to post but here is the intro.... "While researching my latest book (gratuitous plug), one of the concepts I kept running into is the idea that humans are in some way special. We are different from animals and above them in some way. If you ask the average man on the street, he will probably agree with that statement, but may not be comfortable with it ? we are after all, animals." --Vaughan Wynne-Jones---

I think it's an interesting and informative article, though I don't agree with the author's definition of sentience.    He writes:  "We are sentient. We have a level of consciousness and self-awareness that seems to make us different from animals."    Imo, sentience is far more basic than that.   It's the ability to perceive one's self, beginning with experience of physical sensations.  The Word Reference Dictionary has several definitions: http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sentience  

I also wonder how anyone could know if Neanderthals buried their injured and sick while still alive.  There's a book and some discussion about this at:  http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/cuozzo_cg.html