Peirce’s ideas of the man-animal distinction

Peirce was an evolutionist and one of the first to generalize the concept of evolution from biology to physics and sociology alike. He also took some interest in locating what it is that separates the human animal from other higher animals. As to biological instinct, it was the human urge to externalize signs in art, technology and science and other products of the extended mind; semiotically, it was the ability to make hypostatic abstractions; psychologically, it was the notion of extended self-control. This paper revisits Peirce’s conceptions of the human condition. Peirce ascribed humanity great tasks in the evolution of the planet as of the universe; yet, his evaluation of the individual human animal was very low, as to autonomy, courage, moral, as well as intelligence. By which means did he think this chasm between the individual human animal and the grand aims of humanity could be bridged?