What makes you human?

[thethingthatlurks]

I'd say my 23 pairs of chromosomes confirm without a doubt that I am indeed a homo sapiens sapiens. Other than that, I can spell "humans," which no other lifeform on this planet can, ergo I must belong to the species which invented writing.
*sigh* philosophy...it's like getting a degree in getting high and asking stupid questions. Questions which can usually be answered with "well, no shit!" or "no, you stupid dumbass."

 

[hem dazon 90]

*snip*

I've never really considered myself human on the account that I've never been treated human

I think more along the lines of "doppleganger"

no matter what I do there's always something about me that get's me excluded and treated like crap (look up the phrase "surrounded by bigots")
I look human, I seem to be human, I try my best to be human
but no matter what I'm not treated or accepted as one

(to clarify it for you, I don't doubt that I'm a functioning human being, I just doubt I qualify for the psychological meaning behind the word "human")

so someone think about that... please I'm actually finding it rather funny that this short post is bringing out me want for an answer to the question "why aren't I treated human despite physically being one"

I'll be tactful

Don't complain about society. Try and fix it

 

[koschei8]

The ability to come to the realization that I was an anti-social prick, and having the wherewithal to make adjustments to be a better person. Only got one life.

 

[WOPR]

I'll be tactful

Don't complain about society. Try and fix it

I'm not really complaining so much as I'm wondering "why?"

it's just a weird situation...

and I have tried but sadly I'm just one person, and I've learned the hard way that because I don't "fit in" they won't listen to me unless the words "law suit" come up in conversation

 

[IncredibleTurnip]

Pants. No other species willingly wears pants....

 

[blankedboy]

Beacuase, I fap to Offended.
:?

 

[subtlefuge]

Humanity is genetic.

Personhood is derived.

 

[archaicmalevolence]

there's not really much we can do that another animal can do also, it's just we have the ability to do a large amount of things different animals can do except in one life form.
That and the ability to question basically everything.

 

[Lightnr]

Striving for the perfection that we have lost.

 

[InnerRebellion]

I think I'm human because I have a tendency to fuck shit up, I fear the unknown and I reject change.

 

[TheRobotandtheBeast]

You know what they say? You are what you eat.

Strange to say this but, ninja'd.......lunch time

 

[randomsix]

I am human because I was born of humans with negligible genetic variation from them and because I am capable of procreation with another human. This is what being human means, there can be no argument.

What you should be asking is whether or not the quality you are seeking to be explained has anything to do with one's genetic ancestry.

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

We are not human until we admit that we know the difference between right and wrong, and so far the only people who uphold that thought, that rite, currently are the brave men and women of Africa.

As for us of North America. We may know of these differences, but do we strive to uphold them every day like they do? I don't consider myself Human until I do something that helps my fellow man, and that is my outlook on what makes me a Human Being, that I am not one, not yet.

 

[Canid117]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

There you go

Wikipedia is not a real source. Try again.

I'm sorry I wasn't aware that I was writing a term paper.

 

[TWRule]

Being able to question my own existence. Humans are the only sentient beings on the planet. I think that pretty much sums it up.

Close, but not quite. To be more exact, I'd say it's our ability to question what it is to be human that makes us human (to inquire into the enigma of human existence).

Also, we are the only (known) sapient beings on the planet (sentient means able to have sense impressions - they are often confused). That alone is not enough though, because we might encounter other sapient races in the future.

I'm sure that's probably what you meant, but I was clearing it up for everyone else.

 

[Link XL1]

Philosophy and religion are two very different things.

...no they're not

YES they are.

NO they're not.

Pretty sure they are. Philosophy is always up for debate but religion isn't.

I am human because I look at the world and see we fucked it up, because I have the ability to look at my instincts and go "Man, these things suck" and strive to change. It is the ability to change which makes us human.

We have all heard the genetic arguments (We are humans because we are humans) or the philosophical arguments (Cogito Ergo Sum or various addaptations upon it) but what really makes us human is discussions like this, the art we produce, the atrocities we are willing to commit against our own kind.

We are the species Homo-Sapiens due to our genes, we act "Human" because of our societies and we are "Human" because of the thoughts taking place behind all of the above.

Philosophy and religion are two very different things.

...no they're not

YES they are.

NO they're not.

philosophy = The critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs.

religion = a belief pertaining to supreme beings afterlives or forces at power

Religion came about due to philosophy, they are one and the same. Before we understood things, we critically analysed the world and came up with the ideas behind religion. Religion is early philosophy. It is a bit of a pointless debate that comes down to semantics and will seesaw for the rest of human history, but meh. Now maybe you can draw distinctions between the two but it would like be saying Mag-Lev's aint trains because trains run on rails.

ok, i know im doing alot of quoting here, but its only to get the attention of the people involved:

Astoria: ok dude look, religion is under huge debate, all that time! thats why we have all these different religions that splint from a main one. thats why the Crusades happened. trust me, you cant say that they're completely different.

WOPR: you are absolutely right. however, i think you may have missed the original argument do to a misquote, i was the guy who said that religion and philosophy are very closely related and NOT completely different.

 

[flim.geek.chic]

Everything...all of it makes us Human.

 

[hem dazon 90]

I'll be tactful

Don't complain about society. Try and fix it

I'm not really complaining so much as I'm wondering "why?"

it's just a weird situation...

and I have tried but sadly I'm just one person, and I've learned the hard way that because I don't "fit in" they won't listen to me unless the words "law suit" come up in conversation

Don't say that. And society may be cruel but perhaps it has a point? maybe you should look inward to the reason you are excluded. Or perhaps they are just joking around.

 

[bulbasaur765]

When the word "Human" comes to mind, I think of being more than just a warm-blooded organism. We can do more than just eat, crap, mate, and fight. We think up ideas and ask questions about why things are the way they are and what we can or cannot change about them. That's all I can think of.

 

[Pojo-san]

Philosophy and religion are two very different things.

...no they're not

Wikipedia is not a real source. Try again.

...yes it is, didnt you see the very long list of references and sources that were used in the making of that wiki article? if all thats not valid then what is!?

Philosophy (noun): the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct. Any of the three branches, namely natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysical philosophy, that are accepted as composing this study. It is also the academic discipline concerned with making explicit the nature and significance of ordinary and scientific beliefs and investigating the intelligibility of concepts by means of rational argument concerning their presuppositions, implications, and interrelationships; in particular, the rational investigation of the nature and structure of reality (metaphysics), the resources and limits of knowledge (epistemology), the principles and import of moral judgment (ethics), and the relationship between language and reality (semantics).

Religion (noun): the belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or to have control of human destiny, or the the attitude and feeling of one who believes in a transcendent controlling power or powers.

See two very different things, and those are the dictionary definitions, sweetie.

Also, scholar reviewed articles, research notes, experiment results, and any book in the library are all credible sources while Wikipedia is not. College/university students are not allowed to use Wikipedia as a source for essay's and research papers because almost anyone can alter the contents of an article. I could probably do it right now myself. I can say that the sky is actually purple, or that marshmallows are an endangered species that are found in the Alps. Wikipedia is best described as a reference page. It just has general information. If you want true in-depth data then you will need to search elsewhere. The links at the bottom are rarely useful. I tried looking myself and I have found that the information that someone pulled for the article was only on one line. Another time I was led to a site that had nothing to do with the topic of the article. This is why I rarely go to Wikipedia for anything.

Edit: I'm not trying to split hairs here nor do I want to do that. Can't we just agree to disagree and move on from this unpleasant subject?