How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
…there was already something in his gaze beyond the capacity of any ape. In those dark, deep-set eyes was a dawning awareness—the first intimations of an intelligence that could not possibly fulfill itself for ages yet, and might soon be extinguished forever. (1.6)
So, is Moon-Watcher special because he's smarter than your average ape or is he special because he's smarter than your average man-ape? The novel goes back and forth a bit. Strength and skill are individual talents, but they're also evolutionary, or species, talents.
Quote #2
If he survived, those patterns would become eternal, for his genes would pass them on to future generations. (3.10)
The slab changes not just Moon-Watcher's mind, but his genetic material. It's not just teaching; it's changing evolution. The book makes Moon-Watcher the hero, but the real protagonist could be seen as the human race itself. (Which is maybe why many of the characters in the book are so bland. The human species as a whole doesn't have much of a personality.)