What makes a human human?
- Thread starter Xvito
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The ability to beat every other animal, using brute strength, ingenuity and by cheating.
The ability to hate specifically.
The ability to hate specifically.
Ultimately what makes humans different from any other animal is our combined ability to both reason and record.
There is no doubt (in my mind at any rate) that most animals, certainly mammals and cephalopods, can think logically and have imaginations. If they didn't they would not be able to learn or anticipate.
What none of them do is write down what they learn, which places a limit on how much a creature can learn within it's lifespan.
Humans write down what they find out, meaning that in our lifetime we can draw on the combined knowledge of two thousand plus years worth of humans learning (Or in some cases do our best to ignore it).
It very rapidly expands the limit of how much can be learnt within one lifetime. It also allows the dead to contact the living (but as far as we know, not the other way around).
So I would say writing is what makes us human.
There is no doubt (in my mind at any rate) that most animals, certainly mammals and cephalopods, can think logically and have imaginations. If they didn't they would not be able to learn or anticipate.
What none of them do is write down what they learn, which places a limit on how much a creature can learn within it's lifespan.
Humans write down what they find out, meaning that in our lifetime we can draw on the combined knowledge of two thousand plus years worth of humans learning (Or in some cases do our best to ignore it).
It very rapidly expands the limit of how much can be learnt within one lifetime. It also allows the dead to contact the living (but as far as we know, not the other way around).
So I would say writing is what makes us human.
Well the species traits are unarguably-
Bipedal, Predatoral, Omnivore's, Aggresive, Highly Sexual, Mammals, Only example of Civilization outside of Insects, Warfare, lazy.
Bipedal, Predatoral, Omnivore's, Aggresive, Highly Sexual, Mammals, Only example of Civilization outside of Insects, Warfare, lazy.
Reaperman Wompa post=18.71022.711342 said:
I think the many differences between every human is what makes us all human.The_Deleted post=18.71022.711349 said:
Because humans are human? I mean...isn't that like a wolf seeing a sheep and knowing that it's not another wolf?
Even if humans were just another animal, with none of the abilities or faculties that people think make them human, I doubt that a human couldn't recognise another of it's own species, or that it itself was of the same.
All those things, the mind, complex thought, opposable thumbs, may all be things that humans -have- but I don't think that's what makes them human. May as well ask what makes a rock a rock. Imo of course.
Even if humans were just another animal, with none of the abilities or faculties that people think make them human, I doubt that a human couldn't recognise another of it's own species, or that it itself was of the same.
All those things, the mind, complex thought, opposable thumbs, may all be things that humans -have- but I don't think that's what makes them human. May as well ask what makes a rock a rock. Imo of course.
Personally, I believe that it is our culture that defines us as humans. Our ability to produce written and visual works of art, as well as our socialist tendencies are to me, our defining traits of humanity. This of course, is a biased view, and one that views totalitarian viewpoints or fascism as inhuman. I believe that true humanity is borne out of a compassion for others, and the willingness to work towards a better future.
There is also our physicality which is a defining trait of our humanity, but to me that should be fairly obvious to anyone that isn't in fact, a goldfish.
There is also our physicality which is a defining trait of our humanity, but to me that should be fairly obvious to anyone that isn't in fact, a goldfish.
I choose to believe that it's because we have a "soul". I mean, it can't have anything to do with being more intelligent, I'm pretty sure they tested the language of dolphins and found them to be more intelligent than we are.
As to why some humans are good and some humans are bad, I believe that it's because they choose to listen to the animalistic physical form, rather than the aformentioned "soul". If you look at chimpanzees, you'll notice a sort of "mine! not yours!" attitude, and a violent reaction to not getting their way. This is quite prominant amongst humans as well, and it's the soul that helps you ignore these impulses and be a decent person.
And before anyone says anything, I'm of no particular religion and I believe everyone is partialy right. I don't mean to preach, I'm just saying what I think sets us apart. I will never speak of it again. Unless goaded to.
As to why some humans are good and some humans are bad, I believe that it's because they choose to listen to the animalistic physical form, rather than the aformentioned "soul". If you look at chimpanzees, you'll notice a sort of "mine! not yours!" attitude, and a violent reaction to not getting their way. This is quite prominant amongst humans as well, and it's the soul that helps you ignore these impulses and be a decent person.
And before anyone says anything, I'm of no particular religion and I believe everyone is partialy right. I don't mean to preach, I'm just saying what I think sets us apart. I will never speak of it again. Unless goaded to.
The ability to construct mental models of potential future situations based upon basic information and no experience in order to presume a consequence of an action.
Well technically I consider anyone who is of the human species a human. I don't know why, but it makes sense to me.