Charles Darwin quote

“Man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits”

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/charles_darwin/3.html (accessed 27/04/10)

Stephen Hawking quote

“We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.”

http://thinkexist.com/quotes/stephen_hawking/(accessed 27/04/10)

First quote seem to relate us as animals, species except of human. I think Darwin is trying to remind us that we are not superior and intelligent as other living species on earth. But on the other hand, Steven Hawkings mention us as monkeys that can understand universe which makes us special and superior ? So this two quotes contradict each other we defining the value of being a living species on earth.