Thread: Seriousness What is it that makes us human?
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Old 04-24-2009, 05:41 PM   #14
LazyScot
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Fascinating question!

I'd suggest reading "The Human Story" by Robin Dunbar -- unfortunately it's not available electronically as far as I know. One (of several) areas it touches on, that perhaps others more versed in the area can expand on, is the theory of mind or the levels of intentionality. E.g. I think is one level, I think you think, are two levels, I think you think I think are three levels and so on.

One of the fascinating, or perhaps worrying, aspects of this approach is that it then begs the question are infants humans, and the entire set of debates related to that and other similar issues.

In fact, there are very few definitions which don't, at least to some extent, identify some individuals as not human. To somewhat mis-use DixieGal's suggestion (with apologies) that humanity is defined by religion, does that mean that Richard Dawkins is not human?
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