What makes us human?
I’ve pondering this question more over the last few days and I think I’ve come upon the answer.
I’m posting my thoughts here to open up some discussion on the subject.
Once it was considered the use of tools but many animals use tools.
It’s not opposable thumbs as most apes/monkeys also have them and don’t rule out birds and reptiles.
Genius? No! apes posses great genius so do almost all parrots and it’s been shown that all crows/ravens have individual genius that surpasses 90% of people. Genius is the ability to work something out without the aid of being taught.
Learning? My dog can learn.
Which brings me to the ability to teach.
No other species teaches. I considered a bird “teaching” it’s young to fly, in watching this process I realise they don’t “teach” but more rely on the young to learn. There is no sharing of information, instead they seems create an opportunity to learn and experience flight through either imitation, desire for food or being pushed.
For 6000years people have shared written knowledge, created learning centers (universities and schools) and developed different ways to teach. The geniuses amongst us tend not to be good learners (Einstein for example) but do posses an ability to pass their knowledge to others through teaching, explanation and sharing.
Good teachers work with individuals depending on the individual skill set and allow a genius to “learn” and wait to teach when the opportunity comes. For some learners, teaching is required all the time.
What do you think?
i aint no freaking human ......
Other species of animals do teach their young!!!!!
It’s just that we think we are somehow the top of the evolutionary scale, and all other species don’t have our intellect!!!!!
But in fact, we are far from it!!!!! We assume because we can’t communicate with other species like we do our own, that they are somehow less intelligent!!!!!
We just think we’re superior because this is an inbuilt instinct in every animal!!!!! Even within its own species!!!!!
Self awareness and conscious thought would be my answer. I don’t think anything else is as self aware we are or indeed as preoccupied with the self.
I read an article that proposed we are the only animals capable of contemplating our own eventual deaths. In order to avoid this making us suicidally depressive, we have a nice built-in feature that makes us irrationally optimistic. This is a unique feature of humans.
Other species of animals do teach their young!!!!!
It’s just that we think we are somehow the top of the evolutionary scale, and all other species don’t have our intellect!!!!!
But in fact, we are far from it!!!!! We assume because we can’t communicate with other species like we do our own, that they are somehow less intelligent!!!!!
We just think we’re superior because this is an inbuilt instinct in every animal!!!!! Even within its own species!!!!!
Without starting an argument or debate - We are the top of the evolutionary scale, we are superior, and other species are less intelligent. You cannot possibly tell me any one species capable of complex math equations, puzzles, in depth communication, problem solving, or building such structures like skyscrapers and flying vehicles - let alone working out what it takes to build them.
I’m not sure if you were being literal or if you were meaning that in a different way, but there is not doubt that no other animal compares to our genius.
Human derives from Humane. We are not “Human” because of our physical appearance. It is an adjective to describe our actions, thoughts and emotions. It is not one trait that makes us Human, but the accumulation of many such as contemplation, reasoning, hindsight, foresight, sympathy, generosity and many more. No other animal possesses the same mental capacity and traits as we do.
When you add “Being” to make “Human Being” it becomes a noun to describe us physically and distinguish us from the rest of the animal kingdom.
We can’t even fully understand what goes on in the minds of our own species, yet you seem sure that we know that we are the only animal that has feelings, thoughts and emotions?????
I don’t believe that’s the case at all!!!!!
If you want to take population as the key to a successful species, we don’t win that one!!!!!
If you want to take longevity of species to date, we don’t win on that account either!!!!!
If you think that we have been at the forefront of construction, you can look no further than a termite mound to see that they are pretty apt at the building trade, and have been for a very long time!!!!!
And while our generation won’t see it, I seriously believe that we won’t be the last living thing that habitates this planet that we live on!!!!!
“We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.”
- Stephen Hawking
Yet we can’t understand changes in seasons without instruments and calendars!!!!!
While animals know when to prepare for hybernation, or know when to leave an area, and also when to return!!!!!
They can navigate the planet with ease, when we can get lost in a shopping Center car park!!!!!
Trying to make out that we are not the smartest animal on the planet is being facetious in the extreme IMO. No other animal has the ability, smarts or know how to change their environment to suit them to the extent that we do, building a termite mound out saliva, shit and dirt notwithstanding.
My head hurts reading this thread so I will give up now!
the ability to make donuts. No other species makes the tasty dough based treats, so therefore being human is all about donuts!
*may or may not have anything to do with the fact im eating a donut right now
What makes us Human is the want or need to call others facetious delusional asinine gullible sheep, when we have a differing opinion!!!!!
Hahaha well played
Or NBG is ALWAYS correct and ALWAYS awesome…..............................................
Or NBG is ALWAYS correct and ALWAYS awesome…..............................................
Saliva, shit and dirt notwithstanding?????