Wednesday, December 10, 2008
What makes us human?
In most of the blogs there is a question that comes up in almost every argument. What does it take to be human? I think there are a lot of ways to look at this question. The first argument would be made for our d.n.a makeup. If that is it than our we the parts that make up our body?. Is it our cognitive ability? If that is the case then is it our brain that makes us human? Would someone who doesn't have these things be less human? Not to mention items of belief such as a spirit or soul. I believe that it isn't simple that's why these questions constantly come up. It is the combination of all these attributes that make us who we are. There can be things like us but we are so unique that nothing else can be human. Once we come to a clear understanding of what a human is it is easier to get a better perspective of other questions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
We are human because of are unique features that separate us from the other living animals. Are cognitive brain, our opposable thumbs, are ability to walk up right, our curiosity, and the ability to use the resources of the environment in a different way than any other animals. Also the topic that make us a living being.
1. we are able to reproduce natuaral
2. reaction to stimulus in the environment
3. we take in energy are use it
4. all living things are made up of cells which are the building blocks of life.
5. we grow, mature, and die
I feel that there's a difference between feeling emotions and simply eliciting a imitative response to a situation. Humans have the capacity to feel emotions whereas I don't think that robots could actually feel them. They could be programmed to react as if they did feel these emotions, but they wouldn't. Feeling, I believe, requires a body and an organic brain to actually achieve. Also, humans can feel a certain way for "no apparent reason". Even if they think that they should be happy, they aren't. It's something that allows us to learn about ourselves. However a robot would always subliminally, so to speak, know why it "feels" a certain way. It would never be thrown a "curve ball" unless it was programmed to not know why it "felt" that way, which wouldn't be the same as with humans. Especially being that a human's responsive emotions can change from time to time. This is one thing that would seperate us.
Post a Comment