Humanitisherologisticpatheosis

[lostclause]

Err, humans don't have an exoskeleton outside of mechwarrior. I think that it's only insects who have a chitin exoskeleton (and probably something like sea urchins but I can't think of the name for that group)

Human aesthetic, human look whatever you want to call it

Just the way humans look on the outside is what i was getting at

Oh, right. Exoskeleton means a support system that is outside your body. Our support is our bones which, unless you're Alex Mercer, should not be visible. It's not about looks.

Im sorry if i said exoskeleton dont go all mr scientific on me.

If its not looks what is it about?

so your saying that if The thing below had morals it would be human?? no you would look at how the thing looks and if it had the same basic aesthetic as a person you would instantly in your head go "look a human" not "lets examine this things morals to determine it"
image snip

My last sentence was directed at the definition of exoskeleton. Looks and species are certainly part of it but the problem is where do you draw the line? Is it anything that walks on it's hind legs? We'd include bears. Opposible thumbs? We'd include chimps. Does it extent to pygmies? Neanderthals? Now we seem to cross some sort of line to most but some people kept going and said 'it is skin' or 'defects mean that it's not human'. Now most people would agree we've gone too far but the real question is how exact do you have to be to be human? How much leeway? Too little and we're prejudiced, too far and we get into the animals.
Not to say that what you are physically isn't important I just think it's one factor of many in making us human.

 

[bodyklok]

To be human is to be a member of the genus Homo and especially of the species H. sapiens.

It's that simple, theres nothing else to it. As far as I'm concerned anyway.

The ability to control your actions

Maybe, but dolphins can do that. Does that mean they're human?

 

[space_oddity]

to be human is to be made of of a certain number of cells in a certain form

This.
Anyone who mentions free will or morals is and idiot.

And how many cells do you have? If it's the exact same number as me it'll be a miracle.
And if you mean chromosones we have the same number as the fruit fly and people with down's syndrome have an extra (partial) one. Does that make them sub human or super human?
That is a very flawed argument. It's simply wrong. You lose cells everytime you touch something. Typing a response will cost you your humanity. Don't do it!

I was trying to communicate that the concept of 'humanity' is an abstract idea used to give meaning by separating the human condition from that of other organisms.
I think the real question you should be asking is;
"Are we human? Or are we dancer?

 

[Eskay]

Spoiler

Anyone else look at this and think... that duck has pacman for an eye?

Also, if we're bringing pics to the party....

 

[ioxles]

Nothing. That is it. It is that nothing that comes, springing from that which is, forming humanity from words.

Nothing is in words, yet they seem to control everything. They are like the code of the soul, run brain.exe, it's written in words.

With a powerful enough (don't go there) computer, and the the knowledge of everything's place everywhere; every atom, molecule, protein chain, dust mote, planet, universe, and their vector/velocity/movement/firing of neuron/charge/etc etc, everything can be predicted.

Take an inspiration on seeing a breeze move the leaves on an Oak in the evening sun, it's rays filtering through in organic patterns and dancing before you, and being able to calculate every thought it would trigger, every memory it would evoke by which neurons would fire, by all that would go on both inside and out. Pff, the non-existent perfect model, but that is what is.

The future?

Your mind is built around your thoughts, your life builds the hardware of your mind. You can build your own brain. Language = symbology = code = binary. It's all there.

So we define the word human. We are human. We change the definition of the word human. We rewrite the bible. We change the word of god. We are human.

You can see it happen, you think of something and a certain part of your brain will light, neurons firing furiously as you remember or concentrate, as you hurt, as you love. Your software is your hardware.

Because you are you think. You think because you think you are, with what you think.

 

[ioxles]

LIVE, LIVE I COMMAND THEE!

 

[ioxles]

Oh well, i'm prepared to give this thread up for dead and sum up my sentiments on and of humanity.

FUCK.

edit: on second thoughts maybe this was too harsh a term to use. Fix:

fuck.

 

[ElephantGuts]

You lose cells everytime you touch something. Typing a response will cost you your humanity. Don't do it!

Heh that's funny. But also a good point. The number of cells you are made of is a constantly changing and meaningless variable. Every other living thing is made of cells, but that doesn't make them human or sentient or meaningful.