What does it mean to be human?

Hey guys! I'm starting up a new series called "To Be Human", which will be an anthropology/biology based show. But before I get started, I need some input from the audience (that means YOU).

So, what does it mean to be human?

Leave a video comment, if you can, and I'll include it in an episode. Or leave a text comment below.

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• human
• miss
• infidel
• anthropology
• homo
• sapiens
• archeology
• biology
• psychology
• evolutionary
• zoology
• animals
• people

[AronRa]

I was thinking of doing a video about this myself.

[xMissInfidelx]

@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! :-)

[anzwertree]

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 ; )

[Eldrave20]

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?

[Sannalikes]

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.

[KurtiusTheNinja]

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.

[trick0171]

Being Human means we have the capacity to not be human centric. :)

[Synist3Twist]

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.

[MobileThinker]

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.

[OgreVI]

I hope you still want input. I'm going for a walk to think about this.

[deepashtray]

Humans are unique in that we have reached the capacity to destroy our own life support system and know that we're doing it.

[cknell546]

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.