What makes us human?
- Thread starter Noceus
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Being of the biological classification homo sapien. Simple. I do not doubt that one day robots with sentience can be created or that there are aliens with sentience somewhere in this giant ass universe and I see no reason that they would be called human and I see no reason that the human distinction would have to be important morally if we came into contact with sentient life. Sentience is what matters, not humanity.Noceus said:
Our genetics.
The fact that unlike most creatures which create a natural equilibrium we just bulldoze everything else.
That we have philosophy and other sciences.
The fact that unlike most creatures which create a natural equilibrium we just bulldoze everything else.
That we have philosophy and other sciences.
What makes us human is not so much our strengths (intelligence, culture, speech, technological advancement, etc.), but rather our weaknesses. We doubt things because we are uncertain if one solution is truly better than another (or if another solution exists elsewhere). We hesitate to act because we fear the consequences that would befall upon ourselves and others. We challenge the status quo and rebel against the established government because we feel that things could be done differently, regardless of the popular majority.
Rather than basing our existence on instincts (like animals) or simply doing what we are told (like machines), humans are constantly breaking the mold and doing things that are both unexpected and extraordinary. That, if anything, is what makes us human.
Rather than basing our existence on instincts (like animals) or simply doing what we are told (like machines), humans are constantly breaking the mold and doing things that are both unexpected and extraordinary. That, if anything, is what makes us human.
I'd give you an answer, but I think it'd be a bit like "42"; it's hard to pin down exactly what you're asking about, so any answer given is immediately suspect.Noceus said:
Certainly, as you've said, self-awareness isn't nearly enough to distinguish humanity from other life.
If you say something like, "Humanity is compassion for others," then (if you want to avoid the 'No True Scotsman' fallacy) you must also agree that "Humanity is a capacity for cruelty to others", since there are numerous examples for both in humanity throughout history.
If you try to define humans by our biological components, I would remind you of things like prosthetic limbs, cars, and Google. Our consciousness and capabilities are extended by our technology; surely our technology must be considered a component of "humanity".
Closest I can get to an 'answer' to that question is, "Whatever works."
I think this thread answers itself: the ability to consider our nature and our place in the grand scheme of things. Are we just another life form in this universe, or something more? People find different ways to approach this question, whether it's through scientific analysis, or the exploration of the human condition we see in different media. If anyone feels the same way, read 'Frankenstein' and 'Never Let Me Go', which go into similar details, and cover similar ground to DE: Human Revolution.
Religion in the beginning and more recently science. These things are what make humans special. No other animal is crazy enough to invent things like religion and science.
Sapience.
But more so, it's us that define what is human. A human can not exclude himself from that definition.
I believe someone else also said, that a better question would be what other kind of an animal could be considered "human".
But more so, it's us that define what is human. A human can not exclude himself from that definition.
I believe someone else also said, that a better question would be what other kind of an animal could be considered "human".
I don't exactly know what human is unless you compare it to either robots or animals to see the difference.
But Ima say that being human is being able to say that an emotional based reward is more important than a logic based reward directed towards survival. You could say its logical to like emotions because emotions feel good, but its not externally logical, alike to drugs.
Some of emotional rewards are geared up to logic, because evolution, but can frequently be applied incorrectly, to the wrong situations.
But Ima say that being human is being able to say that an emotional based reward is more important than a logic based reward directed towards survival. You could say its logical to like emotions because emotions feel good, but its not externally logical, alike to drugs.
Some of emotional rewards are geared up to logic, because evolution, but can frequently be applied incorrectly, to the wrong situations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_use_by_animalsgamezombieghgh said:
for example monkeys use sticks for stuff. apparently some even sharpen stick into spears.
i wasnt trying to say your answer is bad, i was saying that asking what makes us human in my oppinion isnt as good a question that could be asked. my reply to your answer and my oppinion on the question were meant to be 2 different things. i wasnt trying to be passive aggressive or anything.
i didnt start this thread so im not sure what you mean.
ok so intelligence would determine if an alien race is on the same level as us? how do you measure intelligence? cause alot of animals seem pretty intelligent.
I don't think what makes us human (in the philosophical rather than biological sense) is a binary thing where if you have it you're human and if not you're an animal. Instead, it's a matter of degree. Other creatures use tools, but none as extensively as we do. Other animals can think abstractly, but none to the same degree as we can. Other animals can communicate, but they don't really use language the way we do (probably related to them not thinking abstractly as much as we do, since language is an abstraction).
The problem with this is, we can't really say that this is a result of love and not something else. This is one of the major problems faced by animal research. It is very easy to anthropomorphize them and wind up with results that are entirely false. I'm not saying swans don't feel strong emotions (there's enough evidence of animals feeling emotion that this certainly isn't beyond the realm of possibility), only that an animal appearing to be acting as a result of emotion may not actually be the case, or the emotion may not be what we think it is (how many people think their dog looks 'guilty' when really the dog can just tell by the owner's behavior that the owner is mad, so they are simply being submissive?)rollerfox88 said:
When you have Emotion and learn to Make Love. When you acknowledge that the Television Rules the Nation, that it is a Brainwasher and how Technologic the world has become. But you can still dance to the Robot Rock and be Human After All. When you don't have an On/Off button and live the Prime Time of Your Life.
That's how I see it.
That's how I see it.