What does it mean to be human?

[Hyan]

in reality we are of zero importance to the universe.

At least he lets us hang around even though he has more important matters to deal with!

[Gwynplaine]

This is actually not true; it is possible to teach a parrot what a square, circle, key and car is. It is also possible to teach it the difference between colors. It is also possible to teach it to count and recite how many of a particular object it sees. Monkeys have this ability, too. Various other animals likely also possess this ability; but monkeys and parrots are the only ones able to communicate with us at a level high enough to show it and answer questions. Humans are certainly better at it than monkeys and parrots - but it isn't a trait that's unique to humans.

I also don't believe it is a trait that can describe humanity, unless you'd like to consider newborn babies to not be humans, as they don't possess this trait. So if you want to get to the core of what it means to be human, you'd have to go back to humanity's core and find something that all humans on earth have in common. And on top of that, you'd have to find something that all humans on earth have in common that other animals do not.

To make it short; I think it is almost impossible to find a non-physical trait that all humans have in common that we do not share with any other form of life on earth.

There are some animals like dogs and dolphins etc. that have a crude ability to remember and recognize things over long periods, but it's not the same as explicit concept formation. I've seen critics who are skeptical of the whole gorilla sign language phenomenon, and I'm not a biologist so I'm not really going to dwell on it. But animals can't form explicit concepts on the levels humans use them. No animal has an abstract concept for something removed from the immediate physical world like "marriage" or "temptation" or "language".

[aduidarnenye]

I don't think there can be any answer other than the biological one. Human is a species of animals.

[Surealistic]

being a human means not being something else

that is it and that is all

[The Stig]

To quote T-800 (Terminator 2)

It is in your nature to destroy yourselves.

That's all it takes.

[Uzor]

There are some animals like dogs and dolphins etc. that have a crude ability to remember and recognize things over long periods, but it's not the same as explicit concept formation. I've seen critics who are skeptical of the whole gorilla sign language phenomenon, and I'm not a biologist so I'm not really going to dwell on it. But animals can't form explicit concepts on the levels humans use them. No animal has an abstract concept for something removed from the immediate physical world like "marriage" or "temptation" or "language".

Absolutely. That's my point; some animals have some basic understanding of various concepts (such as circle), but nowhere near the level of understanding humans have. However, you can't claim that more advanced understanding of those concepts make us humans, unless you want to open a can of worms. Claiming those things make us humans, you're also claiming that a fetus is not a human, and that a newborn baby is not human - which we can both agree is not true. They're very much human even if they neither understand the concept of language, marriage and temptation, nor their own existence.

[Neoscrilla]

To be human is to reproduce uncontrollably as a species, inhabit every inch of landmass possible, then exhaust every resource made available to them. Oh wait, thats a virus. Sorry, nothing to see here, move along........

[Restrat]

That's every living species

[Seanr]

hmm, well what distinguishes humans from blacks is that humans are able to use common sense, have morals, and able to make coherent decisions to better their life.

well said young man

http://mlkshk.com/r/2ZEW

[Seanr]

I also believe we're the only species capable of reason and logical thinking

wrong, but I like your arrogance

[Leva]

It means to be above everything else in existence.

if ur white lol

[Uzor]

Which other animal are capable of reason and logical thinking?

Sure, some birds can open a can, and monkeys can use sticks to get get food etc. But that's not really reason and logical thinking. Can a monkey or parrot plan ahead? Can it reason? Can it think logically, for example, add? Reason and logic is different from a learned behavior and fight-or-flight response that animals have. For example; a bird "protecting" its young by running around in a circle dragging its wing to "pretend" it's hurt is not actually a strategic decision the bird make; it's a clash between a desire to fly away and fight, resulting in it dragging it's wing on the ground. It doesn't reason that "if I pretend to be hurt, the predator will go after me instead and ignore my children!".

Do explain what's wrong with my statement.

[Gwynplaine]

Claiming those things make us humans, you're also claiming that a fetus is not a human, and that a newborn baby is not human - which we can both agree is not true. They're very much human even if they neither understand the concept of language, marriage and temptation, nor their own existence.

I don't think there's any problem there. A fetus isn't a human yet, it's a fetus, and will potentially become a human. A baby is a human just one that has only begun experiencing the world and starting to compile info into the basis of concepts. But the OP wasn't so much about a strict definition, just asking about what is the essence of humanity.

[Dotsudoku]

Which other animal are capable of reason and logical thinking?

Sure, some birds can open a can, and monkeys can use sticks to get get food etc. But that's not really reason and logical thinking. Can a monkey or parrot plan ahead? Can it reason? Can it think logically, for example, add?

Do explain what's wrong with my statement.

Your idea of logic and reasoning is entirely skewed. The act of recognizing that, for instance, a can can be opened by doing x-activity, and then performing x-activity for the purpose of opening the can is a blatant example of logic and reasoning. Does the depth of their reasoning have current limitations? Sure, but that's because they have a limit in their depth of retention.

[Mugekuge]

Which other animal are capable of reason and logical thinking?

Sure, some birds can open a can, and monkeys can use sticks to get get food etc. But that's not really reason and logical thinking. Can a monkey or parrot plan ahead? Can it reason? Can it think logically, for example, add? Reason and logic is different from a learned behavior and fight-or-flight response that animals have. For example; a bird "protecting" its young by running around in a circle dragging its wing to "pretend" it's hurt is not actually a strategic decision the bird make; it's a clash between a desire to fly away and fight, resulting in it dragging it's wing on the ground. It doesn't reason that "if I pretend to be hurt, the predator will go after me instead and ignore my children!".

Do explain what's wrong with my statement.

According to some studios Sea Lions can have logical thinking.

http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/animal...lion_savvy.htm

http://discovermagazine.com/1993/feb...elogicalsea184

[Hyan]

if ur white lol

also atheist and a man- but lets not go into specifics

[Uzor]

Your idea of logic and reasoning is entirely skewed. The act of recognizing that, for instance, a can can be opened by doing x-activity, and then performing x-activity for the purpose of opening the can is a blatant example of logic and reasoning. Does the depth of their reasoning have current limitations? Sure, but that's because they have a limit in their depth of retention.

Well, yes, you're right. I suppose the correct term would be higher logic and reasoning. I suppose it's easy to forget that something obvious such as "hat goes on head" requires some form of reasoning.

[Sylvrdragon]

It means that over billions of years, random groups of molecules continued to coalesce or collapse into their most stable forms in an unbroken and inevitable chain of causality eventually resulting in a self-replicating substance that evolved into something that is capable of asking the question of what it means to be what they are.

It doesn't mean anything. We're no more special than any random collection of particles.

[Airenn]

Wild monkeys have been taped using sticks to get ants out of an ant hill.

With no help from human kind-- This is logical thinking.

I will use THIS item to get THESE ants out faster. Was a huge thing because it involved another species using "tools" to help them in their goal.

[isladar]

Which other animal are capable of reason and logical thinking?

Sure, some birds can open a can, and monkeys can use sticks to get get food etc. But that's not really reason and logical thinking. Can a monkey or parrot plan ahead? Can it reason? Can it think logically, for example, add? .

What gets interesting is that chimpanzees will not only use tools, but move them to a specific location to perform a needed activity. Which means they are processing information in an "if X, then I need to do Y" format. So yes, that sounds like they're making inferences and logical conclusions/thinking. There are some pretty interesting articles on moving tools to specific sites as well as about learning and passing on new information.