What does it mean to be Human?

What makes a Human a Human? This question is part of my Tenth Grade curriculum, and I decided, since it such a deep question, to bring it to my fellow innmates for examination.

Now, there is a process for this however, since there is also a purpose for me bringing this here. You see, I have to write an essay on this topic, and I would very much like your help.

Here is how it goes. Simply stating your opinion is not enough. In the real world, particularly in college, no one cares about your opinion. Many people find this statement offesnsive, and I do not mean it in a rude sense. It is simply a fact that while you may have one belief, another person has their's, and no matter how much you may argue, it is not their obligation to follow your opinion.

Therefore, we must look to the beliefs of other people who have written on the subjecy. (Yeah, I don't get it either).

I would very much appreciate your input. Remember, think outside the box.

I gave a philosophical speech once about how humans ought to follow the Jedi Code because it gives us a greater purpose and a sense of community that puts us above animals.

To me God set us aside for a purpose. Being a human means fulfilling that purpose - even if that purpose is just to live life as more than an animal.

I believe man has a body, mind and a soul, whereas animals simply have a body and mind, or some just a body. Somewhere along the line a few million years ago, some of the smarter apes "woke up" so to say and became "human." Those first humans were your Adam and Eve. See kids? Who said Genesis and Darwin weren't compatible?

To find out what defines a soul and what happens to it before or after mind and body die, just choose your philosophic or religious text of choice.

What makes us human is that we are capable of thinking on multiple levels but choose to numb our minds with TV and drugs, where animals do just what they need to do and enjoy the clarity that comes with simplicity. Subconsciously, maybe most humans wish their lives were as simple as: sleep, eat, scratch itchy spot, run away from stronger figure. We often deprive ourselves of these things because in our society it is important to lack sleep, change your eating patterns and deal with people you don't want to deal with. As for scratching your itchy spot... that's about the only thing that wasn't taken from us. We should do it more often.

Or is that too pessimistic for your essay? I don't say that this is what I believe though. But you wanted thinking outside the box, right? Or perhaps this kind of thing has been said a hundred times by other people already, which would make it inside the box. But what hasn't already been inside the box nowadays?

In MY opinion, we're just another form of apes who got to understand the world around them better, which also complicated matters. What makes us humans stand out from other animals? We are more capable of influencing our habitat than the average animals.

This question is part of my Tenth Grade curriculum,
What really makes us human is that we are clever enough to get others to do our homework for us, and gullible enough for others to get us to do their homework for them.

I think what makes us human is that we ask doctoral level questions that the greatest philosophers haven't been able to answer to... well anyone and everyone at the bar.

To error.

You two are rough. I personally wish more college kids had exposure to hardcore philosophy before they got there.

Too many dumb kids in college today. We need smarter high school curriculum.

As to you Almerin - cynical much?

I want to expand on what you said. The fact that we *can* choose to life inferior or animal like lives instead of having it forced upon us like animals is a testament to what I said earlier.

To be human is to not be an animal. Is that so much better? If we have a look at what we've done, who is to say that the platipus is not the higher species?

In more (or less, depending on how you look at it) seriousness, to be human is to believe that such questions as "what is human?" are of any importance.

Why exactly think outside the box on this one? Unless this is a strictly philosophical assignment why not go scientific?

Our DNA is what makes us human.

Used to be "use of tools" sets humans apart from animals but that has been proven false.

Then it was "organized form of communication": again disproven

Then it was ability to rationalize: disproven also.

For awhile it was we were the only ones who went to war, raped each other or killed soley for pleasure; those also have been disproven.

Compassion; nope that is seen often in animlas as well.

Watch TV was suggested but you can get videos designed for cats and dogs that they watch for hours so that is a no-go as well.

video for cats and dogs can be designed... but not BY cats and dogs, you know. They need us to give them that form of entertainment.

anyway, addy: no, not much, but when I do I don't hide it.

In just a day I got all of this feedback. Here are some of the things I believe make us Human:

Religion- Although not all Humans have a faith, the majority of us do. It is not only our belief in things we cannot prove, but our connection with the divine. That special link between a mere human and an almighty being that makes religion possible.

Speech- Human are the only creatures on Planet Earth capable of Speech. Some might disagree and say Parrots can speak, or Dolphins can communicate. This is not the same. We do not know if the animals truly comprehend what they are saying. As for us, we understand the words coming from our mouths.

Emotion- As far as we are aware, we are the only creatures to experience emotion. You cannot tell me a Dog can experience love. Until that dog looks at you and says, in a form you can understand, that it loves you; dogs cannot experience love. Our saying animals can have emotions is simply a way for us to describe their actions.

Knowledge- Knowledge is a tough one, but a bit a common sense makes this one clear as crystal. We are aware that we are learning. We can apply this knowldge to reach greater hieghts. Animals, while possibly capable of learning, do not understand what they are learning, they simply copy.

Drive- Animals do not know good or evil. Humans do though. Animals perform actions out of instinct. They do not comprehend the concequences of their actions, nor do they understand the positive or negative affects at may have upon them or others. We, however, do.


Keeper, as for not going "scientific"...Science cannot even begin to explain what makes us human. Theoretically we can implant human DNA into a robot...but it's still not a human. Therefore disproving your theory.

I would also like to know how all of those reasons you presented were disproven, particularly Compassion, because the last time I checked my dog has never told me that it cares about me. I wasnt aware animals could speak to you.


Thats about all I have.

Maybe it is conceit that makes us human. We might just be the only species that believes others are incapable of anything and we are vastly superior.

My dog tells me very plainly when he needs to go outside to potty, when someone is at the door, when it is past his dinner time or that he is happy to see me come home. They don't speak "human" but they certainly do communicate. One of our dogs actual "tells" my wife when she is about to get an asthma attack and will go to her and whine and pace between her and her breathing treatment machine until she listens to him. We never taught him to do that but he figure dit out.

Just because we are too dumb to understand dolphin speech doesn't mean they don't understand it and communicate just as effectively as we do. Even bees can tell each other where flowers are.

Seeing eye dogs, helper monkeys and the like certainly do learn and use tools.

As for compasion, there have been many stories of primates helping out the injured; both of their own and at times humans.

You cannot prove any of those things, neither can I disprove them. Therefore, that makes them null-and-void. They are useless. We must only works with what we know is absolutley certain. Speculation gets us nowhere.

OK, guess your tenth grade education tops my BS in Biology so I bow to your superior knowledge. there are very few "absolute certains" and "speculation is what drives research and is exactly what your teacher is looking for; your "speculation" on what makes us human. Hope you get a good grade.

Then you need to walk into your philosophy class, rip up his or her teaching certificate, and walk out because he or she is a complete and utter moron.

You're going to be looking a long time if you want absolute certainty. Every philosopher since Socrates has tried to figure that out.

Once Nietzsche came into the picture - EVERYTHING was thrown out. We can't even be certain we *are* human.

So there you go. If your teacher wants only absolute certainties - turn in a blank paper.

Edit: on second thought - you can't even trust that the paper is blank. According to Descartes you can't trust your senses because you can't know for certain they are correct.