Vegan Forum

Just being part of the human race isn't enough. It could be anything.

1 genie or should I say 1% of genes that differ from the chimpanzee.

Masha wrote:1 genie or should I say 1% of genes that differ from the chimpanzee.

Yes that is an interesting subject.
Let me state this another way. Somebody that drives a nice car and eats only fast food, they are human beings of course, and they might be capable of rational thought, but what is it that actually makes them human? Clearly they are not making good choices, or worse yet are just plain uninformed and/or self-righteously misinformed, yet all too often these inidividuals are instantly recognized as having mainstream values and as being mainstream in appearance. But we all know that is just being ordinary being taken to a new level.

Do you say that if someone eats fast food he is not human?

Roman wrote:Do you say that if someone eats fast food he is not human?

No in fact i state the opposite thing. They are however, and without a doubt, suffering from malnutrition. The nutritional deficiencies and dangers of a empty calorie fastfood/junkfood diet, high in sugar, fats and chemicals, is well known and well documented.

First we have to understand what does it mean to be human.
What the dictionary is saying?

AndyBa wrote:First we have to understand what does it mean to be human.
What the dictionary is saying?

www.freedictionary.com wrote:hu·man
n.
1. A member of the genus Homo and especially of the species H. sapiens.
2. A person: the extraordinary humans who explored Antarctica.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of humans: the course of human events; the human race.
2. Having or showing those positive aspects of nature and character regarded as distinguishing humans from other animals: an act of human kindness.
3. Subject to or indicative of the weaknesses, imperfections, and fragility associated with humans: a mistake that shows he's only human; human frailty.
4. Having the form of a human.
5. Made up of humans: formed a human bridge across the ice.

www.m-w.com wrote:1hu·man
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English humain, from Anglo-French, from Latin humanus; akin to Latin homo human being — more at homage
Date: 14th century
1: of, relating to, or characteristic of humans
2: consisting of humans
3 a: having human form or attributes b: susceptible to or representative of the sympathies and frailties of human nature <such an inconsistency is very human — P. E. More>

And of course there is the wikipedia definition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human

Hey dragonfly!!!!
Welcome back!!!

AndyBa wrote:Hey dragonfly!!!!
Welcome back!!!

Hi Andy. It's good to be back.

Personally, what makes me human are the emotions. Without feelings, I am just a dust waiting to be blown away. From these feelings, pain is the greatest feeling that makes me human. This humbles me, reminds me of my imperfection.

Animals feel emotions too.

I think that compassion and abstract thinking is what makes us human.

Anonymous wrote:I think that compassion and abstract thinking is what makes us human.

Those variables that you have cited are open to wide interpretation. Animals are capable of compassionate behavior and animals communicate with one another even different species do this. And how does one concisely define abstract, after all pigs can play video games and enjoy doing so. Blind consumerism is hardly what i call abstract thinking, and living a dull ritualistic "by the numbers" existence is no excuse for intolerance and incourageous spoonfed apathy, and is no substitute for making rational decisions.

what makes us human? easy, the fact that among the species in this world, we are the only one who can actually take care of all of God's creations. there!

for me, having a life with my family, friends, special someone and love one's made me feel a true human...being in loved and beloved is a wonderful feeling that makes us feel complete..

The fact that we can think.. that is what differentiates us from animals.. That is what makes us HUMANS.

I think that our ability to act upon our rationality and not our emotions is what makes us human. We act according to what we think is right and not what we feel is right...

What make us human is the mere fact that we are a cognitive being. Able to express and feel emotions, able to love and able to decide and to amazing feats that no other living things can.

egoisticdude wrote:What make us human is the mere fact that we are a cognitive being. Able to express and feel emotions, able to love...

animals are very capable of cognition, and can express and feel emotions. anyone that's owned a cat or a dog know that they are capable of love.

veejayblox wrote:

egoisticdude wrote:What make us human is the mere fact that we are a cognitive being. Able to express and feel emotions, able to love...

animals are very capable of cognition, and can express and feel emotions. anyone that's owned a cat or a dog know that they are capable of love.

Well, we are very different from animals because we just not cognitive being....we are able make paradise or desasters of anything.Animals seem to be less destructive with their cognition and more open to contribute to this planet.However,we...humans suppose to have better
level and we do in some things if we are not blind(nothing to do with eyes).

I think that what separates us from other animals is that we experience a variety of feelings and emotions but we are rational enough (well, at least most of us are) to think before we act upon our emotions.

What makes us human is that we have emotions much higher than any other living beings and animals here on earth. We are cognitive and we have created things that other beings have not done.

saintlypan wrote:I think that what separates us from other animals is that we experience a variety of feelings and emotions but we are rational enough (well, at least most of us are) to think before we act upon our emotions.

animals also feel pain, sadness, loneliness and emotions.

veejayblox wrote:

saintlypan wrote:I think that what separates us from other animals is that we experience a variety of feelings and emotions but we are rational enough (well, at least most of us are) to think before we act upon our emotions.

animals also feel pain, sadness, loneliness and emotions.

But for most people it's difficult to think of animals as of somebody with feelings.

dragonfly wrote:

Roman wrote:Do you say that if someone eats fast food he is not human?

No in fact i state the opposite thing. They are however, and without a doubt, suffering from malnutrition. The nutritional deficiencies and dangers of a empty calorie fastfood/junkfood diet, high in sugar, fats and chemicals, is well known and well documented.

Well! this is not the answer one the topic here that what makes us human?

Our imagination and empathy with others.

Our intellect and our consciousness.
The ability to dream, and to remember our dreams when we awake.

what makes us human is how we act as a person..
we are all human but it is hard to act like one..
being human shows in our attitude..
let's all be human in our own way..




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For me being human is by the heart for feeling and by the mind for understanding... Just simple but I know that this will take me wherever or whenever I want to go...

You are right , feeling and interacting with others should be a good human attitude , and most of us miss this point.

Good question