What makes us human???

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by HaventGotALife, Jul 1, 2013.

  1. HaventGotALife

    HaventGotALife Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    What makes us uniquely human? Why are we able to dominate the planet? Is it reason? language? art? science?
     
  2. Avon

    Avon Commodore Commodore

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    being human makes us human
     
  3. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    Uniquely human, unique from animals? Not much, really. How'd we dominate the planet? Agriculture, everything else has been how to deal with the resultant population boom.
     
  4. Miss Chicken

    Miss Chicken Little three legged cat with attitude Admiral

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    I think our language skills combined with having opposable thumbs and the ability to stand on two legs is what makes us unique. With these traits we are able to pass on information, manipulate tools and hunt very effeciently which eventually lead us to argiculture and the domestication of suitable animals.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2013
  5. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

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    Humanity makes us human. Uniqueness makes us unique.
     
  6. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    Or a European hare.
     
  7. scotpens

    scotpens Professional Geek Premium Member

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    We're the only animal species that has porn.
     
  8. Amaris

    Amaris Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It's a good question. There are lots of answers. Aside from our DNA, I think what makes us uniquely human is our self aware nature. We have a concept of our selves from a position of the Other. We have the ability to rise above our basic, animal instincts, and perceive things in the abstract.
     
  9. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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  10. Draculasaurus

    Draculasaurus Commander Red Shirt

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    Abstract thinking.
     
  11. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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  12. cooleddie74

    cooleddie74 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  13. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Asking this question makes us human.
     
  14. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    Vomit rock, maybe vomit rock.
     
  15. RJDiogenes

    RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Premium Member

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    It's essentially the Arts & Sciences that makes us Human. This is a broad description, of course, and it's debatable which aspects of the Arts & Sciences are the most important in making us what we are-- and how a different emphasis would have changed the way civilization developed.

    The physical capacity for complex language and the ability to create and use tools with our opposable thumbs is also vital in building a civilization-- it's very likely the ability to put our thoughts to use in the real world created a feedback loop that encouraged the evolution of our brains. But other species have these abilities, too, as well as traits that could be considered rudimentary versions of the Arts & Sciences, however Humanity has a perfect storm of mental and physical abilities that brought us from being just another transient component of the ecology and turned us into philosophers and scientists (although some of us are certainly dragging their feet in that regard).
     
  16. scotpens

    scotpens Professional Geek Premium Member

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  17. trekkiedane

    trekkiedane Admiral Admiral

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    We're the only ones that do certain things and then call them inhuman...
     
  18. Spot's Meow

    Spot's Meow Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Emotion. I think that's really what it boils down to. You may be physically or mentally incapacitated, but you are still human because you still feel.
     
  19. Portal

    Portal Commander Red Shirt

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    To err is human.
     
  20. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    :techman: