Defining humans and humanity and the longstanding belief of human's inherent superiority over all other forms of life has preoccupied man for centuries. Chapter 7 focuses on a scientific definition of what is human in both biological and behavioral terms, and on the human species in taxonomic and evolutionary perspective.

The first part of the chapter looks at unique human characteristics, including large brain size and structure, bipedalism, and small canines. The human life cycle is also examined, including patterns of reproduction, anatomy and physiology and childbirth. The chapter also touches upon human social structure and culture. The evolution of human growth is also considered.

The second part of the chapter examines two areas once thought to be uniquely human—tool use and manufacture and language acquisition. Using these two criteria as defining features of "culture", the possibility of apes having culture is also considered with comparisons of both tool and language among humans and great apes. On this basis, differences that do exist between apes and humans are minimal.