What defines humanity?

[Sir Suomi]

What makes us human? Is it the fact that we are intellectuality superior other animals? Is it our emotions of love, hate, jealousy, etc? Is it our social interactions with each other? Or is it something more?

[HUSTLEMAN]

Pride. It drives the way we act and influences our thinking. We all have pride within us though it may not show as much as others its within us and literally without it we would have died long ago experiments to the species that succeeded us. It was pride that invented the lightbulb. Edison used many substances just to make sure his invention neither blind him nor put him in the dark he failed time and time again but it was pride that kept him going. But it was pride that destroyed his empire not once but twice. Napoleon had a pride that made him not notice he was on the losing side of a war sending his grand army into the inner boundaries of Russia and while a regular chief of command would've retreated and cut his losses he kept going, froze his army to death, retreated, and finally he got exiled and France was once again in ruins. Now you have to be plain dumb to not recognize the pride with that campaign and how it can destroy a man, and you can't forget the other people in history who died because of their pride: Hitler, Dr. King, King Louis XVI and you can't forget who succeeded because of it: Dr.King, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. It was pride people. that is what makes a human human.

You've been enlightened. You're Welcome

[huginnmuninn]

Pride. It drives the way we act and influences our thinking. We all have pride within us though it may not show as much as others its within us and literally without it we would have died long ago experiments to the species that succeeded us. It was pride that invented the lightbulb. Edison used many substances just to make sure his invention neither blind him nor put him in the dark he failed time and time again but it was pride that kept him going. But it was pride that destroyed his empire not once but twice. Napoleon had a pride that made him not notice he was on the losing side of a war sending his grand army into the inner boundaries of Russia and while a regular chief of command would've retreated and cut his losses he kept going, froze his army to death, retreated, and finally he got exiled and France was once again in ruins. Now you have to be plain dumb to not recognize the pride with that campaign and how it can destroy a man, and you can't forget the other people in history who died because of their pride: Hitler, Dr. King, King Louis XVI and you can't forget who succeeded because of it: Dr.King, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. It was pride people. that is what makes a human human.

You've been enlightened. You're Welcome

A lion has his pride too!

Greater intelligence is pretty much what makes us human. ;

[HUSTLEMAN]

A lion has his pride too!

Greater intelligence is pretty much what makes us human. ;

It takes pride to achieve that intelligence.

[TheSocialInspector]

It is the inexplicable ability to recognize our intelligence and use it as a profitable expression to hold authority over the greater majority of the species.

This is what defines humanity. The intelligence and the assumed authority pinnacled upon ourselves to wide domination. From the very beginning, from the second we have picked up that very first chunk of rock and wonder what the hell would it do if we were to chuck it at someone's head, through the evolution and changes to our variety of environments, and as the stability and foundation of our intelligence through inventions vary, and to the harsh moments of the worst of mankind as it succumbed to corruption, but not without its good, there is always an urge towards and diverting towards the usurpation of authority, and the proclaiming of our intelligence in positioning ourselves through classification of thinking.

We are what we visualize in ourselves, a substance of intelligence that grips and forces onto our hold. We are made in such a phenomenal way and we have evolved to such lengths of expeditious improvements. The same terms of the teamwork, the governing and intelligence is still there, present as it is and in the past it was as amazing as it was now.

We have created so much and went so far. We are only climbing and have yet to truly succeed in what we have always wanted to accomplish. We have landed on the moon, invented a technology that in the blink of an eye can connect us with a person on the other side of the world. In such a vast empty vicinity of beauty, we have decorated it with the achievements of humanity as we watch, and realize.

As history's lessons and morals advance into the modern age, we are thoroughly cleansed. Not by the power that we have been given, neither have we been cleansed of the impurity and evil that has mingled in society. We have endured and we will try again. It is of such periods of time has the corrupt attempt to scavenge and gain, has the powerful lead and the weak stay through the darkness of luxury that has never been acknowledged.

[Manjusri]

It takes pride to achieve that intelligence.

No, no it doesn't. Lets say you are intelligent simply based off of your genetics. Your parents are both smart, therefore (genetically) you are also smart. Did you need pride in order to achieve those genetics?

Humanity is becoming harder and harder to distinguish with the upcoming singularity. The singularity in short is the point at which humans become one with technology. Whether that be by nanotech's flowing through your veins, or increased sensory processors implanted in your neuroreceptors.

Essentially the 'biologically living' becomes the 'technologically living'. This doesn't mean that we all turn into robots, however our bodies will be enhanced by artificial intelligence.

So humanity really is merely an imaginary standard. There are computers that surpass far beyond a human's intelligence, and soon there will be robots who are able to do everything (and more) that a human can do- does that make them human?

[TheSocialInspector]

No, no it doesn't. Lets say you are intelligent simply based off of your genetics. Your parents are both smart, therefore (genetically) you are also smart. Did you need pride in order to achieve those genetics?

Humanity is becoming harder and harder to distinguish with the upcoming singularity. The singularity in short is the point at which humans become one with technology. Whether that be by nanotech's flowing through your veins, or increased sensory processors implanted in your neuroreceptors.

Essentially the 'biologically living' becomes the 'technologically living'. This doesn't mean that we all turn into robots, however our bodies will be enhanced by artificial intelligence.

So humanity really is merely an imaginary standard. There are computers that surpass far beyond a human's intelligence, and soon there will be robots who are able to do everything (and more) that a human can do- does that make them human?

They were created by the hands of man, man itself, who has manifested into the primary age of intelligence and revolutionized technology.

Robots are merely artificial intelligence that is made to further help enhance the gifts to our benefits. It is simply another example of human achievement. Perhaps, what you say about humanity may really be an imaginary standard. But it is a successful one, no doubt, one that has and will bring us through success again and again.

[Sordid Saint]

No, no it doesn't. Lets say you are intelligent simply based off of your genetics. Your parents are both smart, therefore (genetically) you are also smart. Did you need pride in order to achieve those genetics?

Humanity is becoming harder and harder to distinguish with the upcoming singularity. The singularity in short is the point at which humans become one with technology. Whether that be by nanotech's flowing through your veins, or increased sensory processors implanted in your neuroreceptors.

Essentially the 'biologically living' becomes the 'technologically living'. This doesn't mean that we all turn into robots, however our bodies will be enhanced by artificial intelligence.

So humanity really is merely an imaginary standard. There are computers that surpass far beyond a human's intelligence, and soon there will be robots who are able to do everything (and more) that a human can do- does that make them human?

Don't forget that AI is only one possible outcome of the singularity, but it is the most likely out of most of the other predicted ones for us in this era. Singularity basically is the point of no return, where you look back and comparing the two times is like comparing medieval life to now. A simple way to view it would be like when electricity was invented, completely changed the world. The steam engine, industrialIsm, all these things are examples.

What I think makes us human is just our intelligence. If we didn't come around, sooner or later another species would have with the same or greater intelligence than us, and most likely would have made the world their own like we did, or if they're smart, let the rest of nature evolve with them instead of dominating over everything. Our species was just the first ones to get there. I like to think about if there was another species living amongst us that had intelligence like we do, what would it be like? Would they take the same route that humans did and dry out all of their resources as fast as they can? Maybe they would care for the planet and universe that they are living in and PART OF (we literally ARE the universe), and make sure they don't wipe everything that isn't them off the face of earth. Most likely though, we would kill anything that comes close to being as intelligent as us. What would we do if monkeys learned how to build guns? We would kill the shit out of them. Without even thinking twice that holy shit, monkeys have advanced to the level that they can create combustion that propels a projectile out of a tube. We would just think. Oh those stupid monkeys have guns, that can't be good. And kill them.

To be honest, it's kind of hard to answer the question without really having anything to compare ourselves to. We're a very lonely species :(

[Zaposchk]

Cells and environment.

[Human]

I think that we aren't all that different to animals. I don't really think we are completely unique, when you look at other intelligent animals like other primates you can tell we are not that different.
I think however, it's that we are curious.

[Gandalf]

The ability to have an opinion. Animals make choices based on the environment. We share our views even if it has no affect on us :)

[ali98]

What makes us human? Is it the fact that we are intellectuality superior other animals? Is it our emotions of love, hate, jealousy, etc? Is it our social interactions with each other? Or is it something more?

From a scientific standpoint, a common genetic frame; from a human-centered view, the ability to make abstraction

[Troy35216]

we attack things not because they threaten us but because they are different from us.
we don't have to be in heat to have sex but do it 365 days a year. (or at least want it that much). we have sex for fun not just to reproduce.
my teacher said only humans make tools but i guess she never saw those chimps on the Discovery channel. But yeh, i think it's all down to sex and war. And Lotto. animals don't play Lotto

[CharlieHorse]

we don't have to be in heat to have sex but do it 365 days a year. (or at least want it that much). we have sex for fun not just to reproduce.

Ever see a monkey whack off?

[Troy35216]

Ever see a monkey whack off?whacking off isn't boinking a lady monkey. that's what i'm talking about. actual sexual intercourse

[CharlieHorse]

whacking off isn't boinking a lady monkey. that's what i'm talking about. actual sexual intercourse

Ya ever see a monkey go on a rape rampage?

[CharlieFinley]

Thinking about thinking.

[Human]

A lion has his pride too!

Greater intelligence is pretty much what makes us human. ;

how do you define intelligence? chimpanzees have had more success in memory games than humans. does that mean some chimpanzees are more intelligent?
or is it the way we use our intelligence?

[ash1520]

What defines humanity? qualities or characteristics considered as a whole to be characteristic of human beings is the best answer i can come up with. Thats not to say all Humans are Humane, There are a lot of animals that would fit that better than humans

[Sir Suomi]

Ever see a monkey whack off?

That sentence made me laugh my ass off. My hat goes off to you.

[Tolso]

Arrogance and self-proclaim.

[tucke7239]

The fact that drives humanity is knowledge. This simple fact that we know of our existence is the only true fact. Though we feel we have facts and laws. We have simply fabricated these to make us feel better. Though animals have knowledge. They don't use it to their potential or advantage. The predecessors of Homo Sapiens also didn't use it to the full potential. However we used to the maximum. Creating agriculture, mathematics, philosophy and many other practices that we use today. This is the true reason we are human. Over the years we have stated that we are "humane". This means we show kindness. So do many other species. Also, we aren't that humane once one thinks upon the matter. We have harmed, destroyed, killed and ruined this planet to our wants and needs. Thousands of spieces have gone extinct because of human. Humans have killed each other and stated that they are "humane" because they helped someone in their city. However evolved thought is the thing that makes a human become worthy of the title

[ManyPearTree]

Our morality.

[Amaryllis]

We know that we will die.

What sets humans apart from our fellow Earthlings, is our knowledge of our inevitable demise. Our ancestors were the first to notice how living beings would one day cease to live, and that made them wish to make the best of the time they have. We know our time on Earth is limited and so we strive to extend it, by creating medicines and civilisations so we may fight as one to defend ourselves from enemies.

Why do we work for money? For food, water, clothing, shelter, safety, and why? Because that keeps us alive. Why do we have countries? So there are people to defend and protect us from others. Why do we abide the law? For fear of persecution, death, wasting time and life. Few wish to spend their entire lives in a prison cell and running for the rest of the limited time you have left isn't fun.

People seek control, wage wars and strive because we know we will die. We have children, because we know we will die and our race must continue with our children and that all ties into other aspects of life, of course. Everything we do, we do it with the knowledge that we are not eternal.