What does it mean to be Human?

[Indigo]

To me, when we realize that God doesn't exist, and that the power we actualize within ourselves was ours all along, that is an enlightenment.


eudaimonia,

Mark

I like that.

I never gave a lot of thought to the question of what makes us human or what seperates us from other animals. Rather I spend a lot of time thinking about what drives us as human beings. Someone earlier said that we've moved beyond the simple needs of food, shelter and procreation but I'm not so sure about that.

It appears to me that in America, my home, that these basic needs is all that drives my fellow Americans. I don't come across a lot of people who read just to expand their mind or who talk about the big questions. If it does not help them advance their career or get a bigger house then enlightenment is not worth pursuing.

However, I do agree that the potential is there and perhaps the realization of our limitless potential is what seperates us from other animals.

 

[Willamena]

We ought to examine what it means to be human -- precisely what was asked in the OP.

so... what does it mean to be human?

 

[Willamena]

*bump*

 

[Halcyon]

I guess to be human is a very special thing.

We're fairly unique among the living beings, on this planet anyway, in that we are aware of our existence, aware of our mortality - that's a big one. We also have the capability to think abstractedly, instead of just logically.
As humans, we also have the ability to empathise with others to the extent that we've developed moral attitudes toward certain behaviours - we can put ourselves in another's place and in doing so treat others as we would like to be treated.

To be human means that you have an obligation to use your intellect, empathy and capability for wisdom to its full extent. To do less than that would be letting yourself down.

 

[Willamena]

Is something like interpretation uniquely human?

 

[Halcyon]

Is something like interpretation uniquely human?

No, not in my opinion. Interpretation is just the way in which sentient organisms read a situation/concept. I've seen dogs interpret body language in very different ways.

 

[Willamena]

But don't we smile when they do that? Are dogs "being human" when they do such things?

 

[Halcyon]

But don't we smile when they do that? Are dogs "being human" when they do such things?

Humans are a form of animal, and as such we share many of characteristics of our non-hominid relatives. Animals aren't being human when they exhibit behaviour we identify as human, it's just an example of our shared evolutionary ancestry.

We smile because we see ourselves in them, i imagine most people smile because they think its funny, i smile because i enjoy the closeness it beings to my relationship with other animals.

Humans have expanded on pre-existing traits we find in many other species, it could be argued we've made a leap of sorts with the extent of the mental changes we've developed, but we're not "better" than other animals, however we do have a very unique position within the Earthly animal kingdom.

 

[Willamena]

Ah-ha, but it is "behavior we identify as human." I would maintain that seeing ourselves in things is also "being human."

 

[Halcyon]

Ah-ha, but it is "behavior we identify as human." I would maintain that seeing ourselves in things is also "being human."

Ah, you mean recognising aspects of ourselves i others? Recognising the existence of a distinct self and its effects on/effects on it, of our surroundings. I would agree.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

But don't we smile when they do that? Are dogs "being human" when they do such things?

Do you suppose that dogs as pets see themselves as human?

And perhaps if we were the pets of another species, we may conform our self-image to them?

 

[Willamena]

If human is to "see yourself," then yeah, I do.

 

[UnTheist]

Simple enough question; we all are one. What does it mean to be human?

To act like a Human.

I dunno. I'm not really seeing any useful meaning out of it

 

[Willamena]

To act like a Human.

I dunno. I'm not really seeing any useful meaning out of it

That is a useful way to look at it. We can be said (especially in a cause-and-effect universe) to define ourselves by results, and that certainly pushes "what we do" to the forefront to be examined. Our actions produce results, and by those results we can know ourselves.

Like how do I know what I like to eat? I taste, then I know. How do I know what I like in other people? I talk to them, or observe them, then I know a bit about myself.

 

[rojse]

I do not see how you can define people as being enlightened creatures. I know a lot of people that do not trouble themselves with anything that does not directly affect them. They work, they play, they sleep, but they do not try to spiritually enlighten themselves, nor do they try and improve their thoughts with abstract knowledge or ideas. Are these individuals not human?

 

[rojse]

I do not see how creative expression makes us "people". I might be creative, but certainly many of my friends are not. They don't write, don't draw, don't paint, don't sculpt or fashion or anything like that. Does this mean that they are inhuman?

What about chimpanzees painting? Does this entitle them to human status?

 

[Willamena]

I do not see how you can define people as being enlightened creatures. I know a lot of people that do not trouble themselves with anything that does not directly affect them. They work, they play, they sleep, but they do not try to spiritually enlighten themselves, nor do they try and improve their thoughts with abstract knowledge or ideas. Are these individuals not human?

Are those individuals not enlightened?

I do not see how creative expression makes us "people". I might be creative, but certainly many of my friends are not. They don't write, don't draw, don't paint, don't sculpt or fashion or anything like that. Does this mean that they are inhuman?

What about chimpanzees painting? Does this entitle them to human status?

What does make us human?

 

[UnTheist]

That is a useful way to look at it. We can be said (especially in a cause-and-effect universe) to define ourselves by results, and that certainly pushes "what we do" to the forefront to be examined. Our actions produce results, and by those results we can know ourselves.

If there are specific results for our actions, doesn't that just show how our environment works?

 

[Willamena]

If there are specific results for our actions, doesn't that just show how our environment works?

Depends on which results you're looking at, I suppose: those in the environment, or "you".

 

[cardero]

What does it mean to be Human?


It means being prepared to err.

Willimena writes: But what separates human from animal?

Humans never turn down money.