In the original context of the original quote, the "not" was somewhat superfluous and rather ambiguous, as Beasts were answering. It's meaning, in the original context was "we are men" and meant as an affirmation. Hence my "no" to answer the question, and followed by a question mark to point to the ambiguity.
(Island of Lost Souls, 1932)
Dr. Moreau: What is the law?
Sayer of the Law: Not to eat meat, that is the law. Are we not men?
Beasts (in unison): Are we not men?
I didn't feel the need to get into semantics with Karyn, but your saying that Karyn "may have made an error in assuming the question was answered correctly" did, in fact, sound as if you were questioning my decidedly lady parts-- especially in the way you refer to rather infamous incidents of confused identity on the forum. And as none of my white knights had yet jumped to defend my honor (aHEM, gentleman!) I did it, myself. Yes it WAS me who denied being a man, but only after it was inferred that I wasn't.