Are humans actually something magnificent, or are we a plague? There are times when you are completely uncertain – especially when actually relating with people. A few days ago, there was a fire at my parents’ house. They are senior citizens. Flames were suddenly bursting out of the basement window and the first floor was filled with thick smoke. It could easily have meant their deaths. But things turned out differently. The fire department was alerted immediately and arrived promptly. Neighbors came to help and offered them a place to stay overnight; everything went very smoothly. When someone is in distress, others help. This applies to personal relationships, but is also reflected in people’s impressive willingness to donate when something terrible happens somewhere in the world. We humans are obviously designed to cooperate. And yet sometimes the case is completely the opposite. “How can people do such things?” is the intuitive question we ask when the news once again reports on an assassination attempt, torture, or wars around the world.

Are humans the crown of creation or the plague of the planet?