What makes US human?

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LASTOLITE

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I have listened to a fair amount of responses to this question on BBCR2 in the morning and some of them have been inspiring. I wonder what TP'ers think on this. I rather see it as what sets us apart. I have not formulated my own response as yet though Just wondered if anyone has anything inspiring to sum up what makes us human in an ever increasing in-humane world.
 
Cartus said:
An awareness of our own being and mortality may come into it.
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Except no one can be sure some animals don't share a similar awareness.
 
"what sets us apart"
There's the problem,we are not apart, we are part of a large interdependent ecosystem, just posh monkeys that have invented a few clever toys, until humans get over their arrogance and selfishness there's not much hope for what remains on our planet, overpopulation, overconsumption will lead ultimately to our own downfall.
 
Cogito ergo sum "While we thus reject all of which we can entertain the smallest doubt, and even imagine that it is false, we easily indeed suppose that there is neither God, nor sky, nor bodies, and that we ourselves even have neither hands nor feet, nor, finally, a body; but we cannot in the same way suppose that we are not while we doubt of the truth of these things; for there is a repugnance in conceiving that what thinks does not exist at the very time when it thinks. Accordingly, the knowledge, I think therefor I am, is the first and most certain that occurs to one who philosophizes orderly." -Principia philosophiae (1644)
 
wee are human because that is our species. homo sapians have evolved a to communicate, have higher brain function than other animals. people really do think too much about such metaphysical questions
 
crofter said:
"what sets us apart"
There's the problem,we are not apart, we are part of a large interdependent ecosystem, just posh monkeys that have invented a few clever toys, until humans get over their arrogance and selfishness there's not much hope for what remains on our planet, overpopulation, overconsumption will lead ultimately to our own downfall.
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No it won't. Ecosystems have wonderful negative feedback systems that keep these things in check....it's been going on for millions of years before we were around and isn't going to stop anytime soon.
 
mid_gen said:
No it won't. Ecosystems have wonderful negative feedback systems that keep these things in check....it's been going on for millions of years before we were around and isn't going to stop anytime soon.
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This.
The only thing we're f*****g up is our own future.
The planet will be just fine. :-)
 
mid_gen said:
No it won't. Ecosystems have wonderful negative feedback systems that keep these things in check....it's been going on for millions of years before we were around and isn't going to stop anytime soon.
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You misunderstand me, I was talking from the human point of view, that seems to be the only point of view important to most of humanity, sooner or later the balance will be redressed and human beings will be able to do nothing about it, the planet will carry on regardless.Doesn't mean we should carry on wrecking the place.
 
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The need to use toilet paper....sorry wrong thread!

Do other species empathise in the way that (some at least) humans are able to?

Only humans and ants wage war against their own species I believe.
 
crofter said:
"what sets us apart"
There's the problem,we are not apart, we are part of a large interdependent ecosystem, just posh monkeys that have invented a few clever toys, until humans get over their arrogance and selfishness there's not much hope for what remains on our planet, overpopulation, overconsumption will lead ultimately to our own downfall.
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Posh apes, unless you possess a tail and lack an opposable thumb then I'll allow you to be a monkey. :)
 
viv1969 said:
This.
The only thing we're f*****g up is our own future.
The planet will be just fine. :)
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Not if we destroy it first... without our molten metal core the earth is nothing but a floating rock. Anyone hearing the "Death March" ohhh here comes the death star!
 
Cartus said:
Only humans and ants wage war against their own species I believe.
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Err....what??? All species compete for survival, violently or otherwise. Humans are no different.

PS to all those 'humans are awful' people.....if you think we're that bad then there's only one logical course of action to take.
 
mid_gen said:
Err....what??? All species compete for survival, violently or otherwise. Humans are no different.
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On a individual level that's true but i'd imagine Cartus is talking about colonies actively invading and destroying each other.

I'm not so sure all species do that.
 
Language.

Other animals communicate (some in very complicated ways) but only we have the ability to articulate intangible thoughts and concepts through such a complex combination of sounds and the written word.
It can be a wonderful thing, passing down history, sharing ideas, allowing people to work together to create new things and enable technical advancement . . . it can also lead people to do terrible things to one another.

(That was actually quite deep for a mid-week lunch break! :D )
 
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SarahLee said:
Language.

Other animals communicate (some in very complicated ways) but only we have the ability to articulate intangible thoughts and concepts through such a complex combination of sounds and the written word.
It can be a wonderful thing, passing down history, sharing ideas, allowing people to work together to create new things and enable technical advancement . . . it can also lead people to do terrible things to one another.

(That was actually quite deep for a mid-week lunch break! :D )
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Hi Sarah - quick question - how can we know this if we cannot understand their languages?
 
Rapscallion said:
Hi Sarah - quick question - how can we know this if we cannot understand their languages?
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Especially as whale-song or the “clicks” emitted by dolphins are thought to be incredibly complex in nature.
 
Rapscallion said:
Hi Sarah - quick question - how can we know this if we cannot understand their languages?
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The answer to that would likely be because they are not top of the food chain. Their language seems to be complex but until its translated it may not be true they could just be swearing at each other all the time. :)
 
Tintin124 said:
The answer to that would likely be because they are not top of the food chain. Their language seems to be complex but until its translated it may not be true they could just be swearing at each other all the time. :)
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They probably say the same thing about us, and most of the time they'd be right!
 
H2O said:
On a individual level that's true but i'd imagine Cartus is talking about colonies actively invading and destroying each other.

I'm not so sure all species do that.
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If there is resource pressure then all organisms will try and survive at the cost of others, regardless of species. Territory, breeding partners, food, whatever. Animals have been murdering each other for billions of years over these resources, again...nothing special about humans.
 
Rapscallion said:
Hi Sarah - quick question - how can we know this if we cannot understand their languages?
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viv1969 said:
Especially as whale-song or the “clicks” emitted by dolphins are thought to be incredibly complex in nature.
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In terms of spoken language we can't know for sure (in fact I had 'whale clicks' in mind when I wrote that) . . . but the rest of my sentence did say "and written word" :p
. . . which I'm more sure that 'we're' unique in.
 
SarahLee said:
In terms of spoken language we can't know for sure (in fact I had 'whale clicks' in mind when I wrote that) . . . but the rest of my sentence did say "and written word" :p
. . . which I'm more sure that 'we're' unique in.
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I didn't quote ya, otherwise I'd have highlighted the "complex combination of sounds" bit ;)
 
The fact we are almost unique in standing on two limbs rather than four.

We've evolved beyond our natural habitat without help from another species to build our own.

We have languages, the written word, can make music, song abs dance. We can make machinery and tools to further our own advance and can eliminate any other species we wish, not because we're bigger or stronger but are clever. We started with spears now can build guns and fire them to kill predators. It's why we are, and will remain so a top of the food chain for ever. We can even cultivate the land to feed our growing numbers. Try getting a dog or cat to do that.
 
ST4 said:
The fact we are almost unique in standing on two limbs rather than four.

We've evolved beyond our natural habitat without help from another species to build our own.

We have languages, the written word, can make music, song abs dance. We can make machinery and tools to further our own advance and can eliminate any other species we wish, not because we're bigger or stronger but are clever. We started with spears now can build guns and fire them to kill predators. It's why we are, and will remain so a top of the food chain for ever. We can even cultivate the land to feed our growing numbers. Try getting a dog or cat to do that.
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Something cannot be "almost" unique. It either is, or it isn't.
 
ST4 said:
The fact we are almost unique in standing on two limbs rather than four.

We've evolved beyond our natural habitat without help from another species to build our own.

We have languages, the written word, can make music, song abs dance. We can make machinery and tools to further our own advance and can eliminate any other species we wish, not because we're bigger or stronger but are clever. We started with spears now can build guns and fire them to kill predators. It's why we are, and will remain so a top of the food chain for ever. We can even cultivate the land to feed our growing numbers. Try getting a dog or cat to do that.
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Ants are pretty good at agriculture, we're not even unique in that respect.
 
viv1969 said:
Something cannot be "almost" unique. It either is, or it isn't.
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Other than monkees which we are derived, we are unique. We can use our hands to make things and that's whats caused us to be top of the food chain. We are unique in that respect. What other species can make fire, build habitats, make weapons to hunt with etc. None.
 
ST4 said:
Other than monkees which we are derived, we are unique. We can use our hands to make things and that's whats caused us to be top of the food chain. We are unique in that respect. What other species can make fire
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Maybe humans are unique in making fire.

build habitats,.
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Badgers, foxes, wolves, bower birds, weaver birds, beavers, etc etc,

make weapons to hunt with etc. None.
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Bolas spiders, chimpanzees,
 
What sets us apart from other animals? Not much if you are including parasites. As a species, humans are the most destructive animals on the planet. As we attempt to control nature we are no longer controlled by its rules. People will argue about peoples compassion, which I've seen but I have also seen such acts that you would not belive. Humans are suppossed to be the most intelligent animals here yet they strive to destroy the thing they rely on for live.

Sorry - rant over
 
ST4 said:
Other than monkees which we are derived, we are unique. We can use our hands to make things and that's whats caused us to be top of the food chain. We are unique in that respect. What other species can make fire, build habitats, make weapons to hunt with etc. None.
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Assuming that you meant that we evolved from monkeys rather than a 60s pop combo, we actually evolved from apes.
 
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