I saw you highlighted in one of theAmazingAtheist's latest videos. Great stuff here, missinfidel. I'm an ex Jehovah Witness. First started my channel to spread the "good news." I wanted to help people discover the truth. In a classic sense of irony, it was I that ended up learning the truth. And it was primarily voices like your own that helped me question my beliefs. Keep up the good work, oh and I totally love your hair so I subscribed ; )
I'm reminded of a quote from Star Trek, First Contact. In part, it says "You are an imperfect being. Created by an imperfect being".
It's not very satisfying in reference to the question of 'what it means to be human', but only a partial response. I don't know what it means to NOT be human, so how can I maintain objectivity? The multivariate phenomena to consider is particularly complex. If clinically defined, which path is most descriptive? Sensory, emotional, behavioral. Quantifiable?
From the point of view of a university arts student, being human is expressing yourself, through art, through your job, through writing a journal, through thinking and seeing and listening and feeling.
A monkey can paint a painting, but it doesn't do it in order to communicate its emotions or thoughts.
Humans cant describe what it means to be human. Being human makes it impossible to be impartial in our judgement of humanity. I think only some extraterrestrial being can truly explain what being human is. All we can say is what being human means to us as individuals and as human beings.
To be human is to mentally separate a species completely from it's origins just because of a fear of being ourselves. Humans live a life of uncertainty with a mind that tells them they cannot reach certainty, yet are still compelled to do so. It's the ability to be absolutely self-absorbed and disregard anything but individual survival, even though the exact opposite will probably have a more potent effect.
to me being human is simple...it just means to be the species known as homo sapien. i find it laughable and actually insulting when people say being human has some greater matter, something about knowning what is good, or something about humor or intelligence, that is just a side effect of being human, that is not what being human means.
To me, Being Human means to make a mistake or view such an action and not punish ourselves or the person who made the mistake for it. It means looking at an issue or anything else in life with an objective viewpoint and if it's a real problem, find solutions to it or processes to reach such solutions. Being human means to admit to ourselves and those around us that we don't and never will know everything about the universe or our world and the things in it and to also be accepting of this fact.
To me it means being able to understand just enough to feel really small in the universe, but also to feel great being able to understand that. But when i hear "human" it immediately puts me into a group and that's the second meaning - being part of a great family that right now can't get along too well, but has great potential... i hope people will see each other as members of this great family, all very much alike and equally deserving of the same right to live as human beings.
GrapplingIgnorance sent me. -lol- I think he didn't appreciate me posting a comment on his video. While deeply analytical and philosophical definitions are certainly good, they tend to ignore some of the more creative aspects of humanity. Especially humour. This is coming from a comic's point of view so it's not going to be objective. Becoming human was a long, slow struggle and without humour we might not have made it.
@spacecowboy5000 Went Uunk tripped on a stone and fell his other caveman friends surely had a good laugh. In particular, the ability to laugh at ourselves is something I think is a dinstinctly human quality. Even when facing the worst adversities a well timed joke was enough to dispel some tension. I just wanted to make sure that the humorous side of human nature was representing. We can't be funny all of the time but it does come in handy.
I'd have to say that what makes humans "special" is our superior intellect. Art, culture, philosophy, science, religion, our collective understanding of our sensory experience and the world, every human achievement, this discussion and the technology that makes it possible are all a result of our evolved intelligence. It's the root of EVERYTHING that makes us, us.
Hey Miss Infidel! I have come across a couple of your videos and was immediately interested. You make some very rational and clear arguments, and even though I do not agree with you 100%, you do make a some very good points. Well, in response to your question, I feel that to be human means to be conscious, it's not the same as simply being biologically living. Being human is being compassionate towards others and wanting to help out. It means thinking for yourself and forming your own opinions.
@AronRa Haha, great minds, perhaps? I've been looking to put my anthro/psych background to some use, finally. Not to be presumptuous, but we could always collaborate! :-)
Technically/Biologically we all are the members of the Homo Sapiens species, having 23 pairs of chromosomes etc. Philosophically, we are the only known species in the Universe that contemplates about its origins and creates Culture, Art, Civilisation etc.
@Neueregel Your answer is too vague. Most of us still consider profoundly retarded people "human." Profoundly retarded people, toddlers, infants, fetuses, and embryos do not contemplate their origins, culture, art, or civilization; yet all are considered humans. (I still am pro-choice.) Chimps, dolphins, and whales, are examples of animals that (in some ways) have intelligence on par with human children, to various degrees. I wonder if they ever contemplate these things in their own way.
@ZombieCobain No answer is "to vague". As I stated in my video, any answers would be acceptable. Scientific answers, sociological answers, artistic and philosophical answers.
@xMissInfidelx Didn't mean to discourage the free flow conversation; I'll stop being a dick. However, anyone is free to criticize my statements below. I hope I learn something here.
@ZombieCobain Toddlers at 18 months can pass the Mirror Test and can learn hundreds of words and signs. Thus a human 1.5 or 2 years old is considered far more intelligent than any other animal, primate or not, regardless of its brain size. I can also remind you than we are the species with the highest Brain-to-body mass ratio and incredibly dense brain of more than 100 trillions (10^14) of neural connections.
@Neueregel I agree, we're really smart. However, let's say dolphins evolve into beings as intelligent as our own. Let's say they begin to archive their knowledge, develop a language, and even record pop songs (consisting of fin flapping, clicks, and whistles set to a drum machine) and therefor have art/ culture. The chromosomal definition would then become more useful to distinguish humans from dolphins. Our chromosomes would allow for opposable thumbs, theirs for blowholes and fins.
@ZombieCobain Agreed.Technically, the chromosomal definition is more proper (and even better the whole human genetic Phenotype regardless of the chromosome number) for a human description. However neither dolphins nor any other animal will evolve in the near future because macro-Evolution needs millions of years to take place.But even given those years, humans would not allow anyone to challenge their Earthly sovereignty as kings of all Species ,the same way Lions rule the whole Jungle/ Savannah
@Neueregel You're right. Maybe aliens landing (with their own art, civilization, version of hip-hop) would have been a better, albeit less probable, example. We would be confronted with a sudden onset of a new species. However, we couldn't assume they have DNA or chromosomes. In any event, when defining any term, it seems correct to be as precise as possible. To me it's hard to answer this question other than scientifically b/c humans are so protean psychologically & philosophically.
@ZombieCobain Intelligent Alien species with no DNA (gathered in chromosomes) , should have some kind of replicating mechanism anyway. They might be built in their exotic mega Labs, the same way we built Robots. The might be Silicon-based instead of Carbon-based. As Carl Sagan said : " The beauty of all things , is not the Atoms, but the Way those Atoms are put together." And our Organic chemistry based on Carbon assists a lot this complexity that defines Humans.
Also, I remind you that not all of us have 23 pairs of chromosomes, yet blend into society. The three most common examples are those with Turner's syndrome (missing an X chromosome), infertile women with no breast development and minor learning impairment; Klinefelter (XXY) males, also infertile with minor or no learning disability; and XYY males, aggressive, more pronounced learning disability, but potentially fertile. Then their are Downs kids. They are humans all.
@ZombieCobain Yes, agreed they are humans. However those humans are 99.9+% infertile thus they are removed from the Human Gene Pool of future generations.
For those missing chromosomal material, such as those with Turners (XO) or other genetic maladies that are usually fatal intrauterine, we only measure the uninvolved genetic material shared with human DNA. We could therefore distinguish a human embryo from a chimp embryo implated into a human uterus. This answer is fuzzy, I know, but to tell you the truth, being a member of a species is kinda a fuzzy concept. I am now sufficiently high on my Ambien and will retire. Good luck Infidel. zzz
My answer comes from the top of my head without the benefit of rigorous scientific scrutiny, but hopefully avoids "magical answers" such as "beings made in [a god's] image." Being human means being an animal (not just chromosomes in a test tube) that possess the homo sapiens sapiens general genetic blueprint. This probably comes down to sharing an albeit arbitrary number (such as 99%) of the chromosomal material of our species.
We have some anomolies to many of the things we associate with being human. For instance, many would cite ability to reason or language. However, we would still consider profoundly developmentally disabled people as "human." Similarly, you could go along the definition of human as a "species" and say it is the potential to "mate in the wild" with others of the human species. However, what about people with Turner's syndrome, Klinefelter's, other chromosomal anomolies, infertility, etc.
Humans are unique in terms of their level of complex mental capacity presupposing that all other life forms don't have this given our a posteriori reasoning. Also, given the prodigious scale of the universe as well as how little of it has been observed by the present, past, and ever evolving technology, we could very well be living in a pool of organisms with human-level intellect as well as human-surpassing intellect, which would in the end destroy our sense of significance here on Earth.
You asked for my input! For me being that I am human...I want to bang your brains out while you ramble on about what ever the fuck you just said! Hey you asked!
I don't think that we are all that special or unique. We're just different then the other terrestrial species. Sure we have freakishly large brains that allow abstract thinking and whatnot but other species beat us in other ways. Sapients is pretty nifty and all but people are way to self important about it all in my opinion.
I saw you highlighted in one of theAmazingAtheist's latest videos. Great stuff here, missinfidel. I'm an ex Jehovah Witness. First started my channel to spread the "good news." I wanted to help people discover the truth. In a classic sense of irony, it was I that ended up learning the truth. And it was primarily voices like your own that helped me question my beliefs. Keep up the good work, oh and I totally love your hair so I subscribed ; )
anzwertree 3 months ago
I'm reminded of a quote from Star Trek, First Contact. In part, it says "You are an imperfect being. Created by an imperfect being".
It's not very satisfying in reference to the question of 'what it means to be human', but only a partial response. I don't know what it means to NOT be human, so how can I maintain objectivity? The multivariate phenomena to consider is particularly complex. If clinically defined, which path is most descriptive? Sensory, emotional, behavioral. Quantifiable?
Eldrave20 5 months ago
From the point of view of a university arts student, being human is expressing yourself, through art, through your job, through writing a journal, through thinking and seeing and listening and feeling.
A monkey can paint a painting, but it doesn't do it in order to communicate its emotions or thoughts.
Sannalikes 10 months ago
Humans cant describe what it means to be human. Being human makes it impossible to be impartial in our judgement of humanity. I think only some extraterrestrial being can truly explain what being human is. All we can say is what being human means to us as individuals and as human beings.
KurtiusTheNinja 10 months ago
Being Human means we have the capacity to not be human centric. :)
trick0171 10 months ago
To be human is to mentally separate a species completely from it's origins just because of a fear of being ourselves. Humans live a life of uncertainty with a mind that tells them they cannot reach certainty, yet are still compelled to do so. It's the ability to be absolutely self-absorbed and disregard anything but individual survival, even though the exact opposite will probably have a more potent effect.
Synist3Twist 10 months ago
to me being human is simple...it just means to be the species known as homo sapien. i find it laughable and actually insulting when people say being human has some greater matter, something about knowning what is good, or something about humor or intelligence, that is just a side effect of being human, that is not what being human means.
MobileThinker 10 months ago
I hope you still want input. I'm going for a walk to think about this.
OgreVI 10 months ago
Humans are unique in that we have reached the capacity to destroy our own life support system and know that we're doing it.
deepashtray 10 months ago
To me, Being Human means to make a mistake or view such an action and not punish ourselves or the person who made the mistake for it. It means looking at an issue or anything else in life with an objective viewpoint and if it's a real problem, find solutions to it or processes to reach such solutions. Being human means to admit to ourselves and those around us that we don't and never will know everything about the universe or our world and the things in it and to also be accepting of this fact.
cknell546 10 months ago
To me it means being able to understand just enough to feel really small in the universe, but also to feel great being able to understand that. But when i hear "human" it immediately puts me into a group and that's the second meaning - being part of a great family that right now can't get along too well, but has great potential... i hope people will see each other as members of this great family, all very much alike and equally deserving of the same right to live as human beings.
Anonymous247n 10 months ago
GrapplingIgnorance sent me. -lol- I think he didn't appreciate me posting a comment on his video. While deeply analytical and philosophical definitions are certainly good, they tend to ignore some of the more creative aspects of humanity. Especially humour. This is coming from a comic's point of view so it's not going to be objective. Becoming human was a long, slow struggle and without humour we might not have made it.
spacecowboy5000 10 months ago
@spacecowboy5000 Went Uunk tripped on a stone and fell his other caveman friends surely had a good laugh. In particular, the ability to laugh at ourselves is something I think is a dinstinctly human quality. Even when facing the worst adversities a well timed joke was enough to dispel some tension. I just wanted to make sure that the humorous side of human nature was representing. We can't be funny all of the time but it does come in handy.
spacecowboy5000 10 months ago
I have decided to contribute a response to this. I just haven't decided what angle to take yet...
GrapplingIgnorance 10 months ago
I'd have to say that what makes humans "special" is our superior intellect. Art, culture, philosophy, science, religion, our collective understanding of our sensory experience and the world, every human achievement, this discussion and the technology that makes it possible are all a result of our evolved intelligence. It's the root of EVERYTHING that makes us, us.
martini1179 10 months ago
Hey Miss Infidel! I have come across a couple of your videos and was immediately interested. You make some very rational and clear arguments, and even though I do not agree with you 100%, you do make a some very good points. Well, in response to your question, I feel that to be human means to be conscious, it's not the same as simply being biologically living. Being human is being compassionate towards others and wanting to help out. It means thinking for yourself and forming your own opinions.
MrTato555 10 months ago
I was thinking of doing a video about this myself.
AronRa 11 months ago
@AronRa Haha, great minds, perhaps? I've been looking to put my anthro/psych background to some use, finally. Not to be presumptuous, but we could always collaborate! :-)
xMissInfidelx 11 months ago
aw, welcome back :) I'm excited :)
ThinkMinding 11 months ago
Technically/Biologically we all are the members of the Homo Sapiens species, having 23 pairs of chromosomes etc. Philosophically, we are the only known species in the Universe that contemplates about its origins and creates Culture, Art, Civilisation etc.
Neueregel 11 months ago
@Neueregel Your answer is too vague. Most of us still consider profoundly retarded people "human." Profoundly retarded people, toddlers, infants, fetuses, and embryos do not contemplate their origins, culture, art, or civilization; yet all are considered humans. (I still am pro-choice.) Chimps, dolphins, and whales, are examples of animals that (in some ways) have intelligence on par with human children, to various degrees. I wonder if they ever contemplate these things in their own way.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
@ZombieCobain No answer is "to vague". As I stated in my video, any answers would be acceptable. Scientific answers, sociological answers, artistic and philosophical answers.
xMissInfidelx 11 months ago
@xMissInfidelx Didn't mean to discourage the free flow conversation; I'll stop being a dick. However, anyone is free to criticize my statements below. I hope I learn something here.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
@ZombieCobain Toddlers at 18 months can pass the Mirror Test and can learn hundreds of words and signs. Thus a human 1.5 or 2 years old is considered far more intelligent than any other animal, primate or not, regardless of its brain size. I can also remind you than we are the species with the highest Brain-to-body mass ratio and incredibly dense brain of more than 100 trillions (10^14) of neural connections.
Neueregel 11 months ago
@Neueregel I agree, we're really smart. However, let's say dolphins evolve into beings as intelligent as our own. Let's say they begin to archive their knowledge, develop a language, and even record pop songs (consisting of fin flapping, clicks, and whistles set to a drum machine) and therefor have art/ culture. The chromosomal definition would then become more useful to distinguish humans from dolphins. Our chromosomes would allow for opposable thumbs, theirs for blowholes and fins.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
@ZombieCobain Agreed.Technically, the chromosomal definition is more proper (and even better the whole human genetic Phenotype regardless of the chromosome number) for a human description. However neither dolphins nor any other animal will evolve in the near future because macro-Evolution needs millions of years to take place.But even given those years, humans would not allow anyone to challenge their Earthly sovereignty as kings of all Species ,the same way Lions rule the whole Jungle/ Savannah
Neueregel 11 months ago
@Neueregel You're right. Maybe aliens landing (with their own art, civilization, version of hip-hop) would have been a better, albeit less probable, example. We would be confronted with a sudden onset of a new species. However, we couldn't assume they have DNA or chromosomes. In any event, when defining any term, it seems correct to be as precise as possible. To me it's hard to answer this question other than scientifically b/c humans are so protean psychologically & philosophically.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
@ZombieCobain Intelligent Alien species with no DNA (gathered in chromosomes) , should have some kind of replicating mechanism anyway. They might be built in their exotic mega Labs, the same way we built Robots. The might be Silicon-based instead of Carbon-based. As Carl Sagan said : " The beauty of all things , is not the Atoms, but the Way those Atoms are put together." And our Organic chemistry based on Carbon assists a lot this complexity that defines Humans.
Neueregel 11 months ago
Also, I remind you that not all of us have 23 pairs of chromosomes, yet blend into society. The three most common examples are those with Turner's syndrome (missing an X chromosome), infertile women with no breast development and minor learning impairment; Klinefelter (XXY) males, also infertile with minor or no learning disability; and XYY males, aggressive, more pronounced learning disability, but potentially fertile. Then their are Downs kids. They are humans all.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
@ZombieCobain Yes, agreed they are humans. However those humans are 99.9+% infertile thus they are removed from the Human Gene Pool of future generations.
Neueregel 11 months ago
For those missing chromosomal material, such as those with Turners (XO) or other genetic maladies that are usually fatal intrauterine, we only measure the uninvolved genetic material shared with human DNA. We could therefore distinguish a human embryo from a chimp embryo implated into a human uterus. This answer is fuzzy, I know, but to tell you the truth, being a member of a species is kinda a fuzzy concept. I am now sufficiently high on my Ambien and will retire. Good luck Infidel. zzz
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
My answer comes from the top of my head without the benefit of rigorous scientific scrutiny, but hopefully avoids "magical answers" such as "beings made in [a god's] image." Being human means being an animal (not just chromosomes in a test tube) that possess the homo sapiens sapiens general genetic blueprint. This probably comes down to sharing an albeit arbitrary number (such as 99%) of the chromosomal material of our species.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
We have some anomolies to many of the things we associate with being human. For instance, many would cite ability to reason or language. However, we would still consider profoundly developmentally disabled people as "human." Similarly, you could go along the definition of human as a "species" and say it is the potential to "mate in the wild" with others of the human species. However, what about people with Turner's syndrome, Klinefelter's, other chromosomal anomolies, infertility, etc.
ZombieCobain 11 months ago
Humans are unique in terms of their level of complex mental capacity presupposing that all other life forms don't have this given our a posteriori reasoning. Also, given the prodigious scale of the universe as well as how little of it has been observed by the present, past, and ever evolving technology, we could very well be living in a pool of organisms with human-level intellect as well as human-surpassing intellect, which would in the end destroy our sense of significance here on Earth.
craigdavid00 11 months ago
Also where are you in Ft Lauderdale. You look like you are from Westin
BoomerDaDog123 11 months ago
You asked for my input! For me being that I am human...I want to bang your brains out while you ramble on about what ever the fuck you just said! Hey you asked!
BoomerDaDog123 11 months ago
Long time! Good to see you, and look forward to your series. ^.^
stealthbadger 11 months ago
I don't think that we are all that special or unique. We're just different then the other terrestrial species. Sure we have freakishly large brains that allow abstract thinking and whatnot but other species beat us in other ways. Sapients is pretty nifty and all but people are way to self important about it all in my opinion.
Arikiel 11 months ago