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Food for thought.

D

DogBoy

We've been having a debate here and think we have come up with the perfectly defendable answer. Let's see if anyone can come up with an equally good answer.

The question is this.

Prove beyond doubt that you are human.
 
Grat3fulh3ad

Grat3fulh3ad

The Voice of Reason
Veteran
Define human.
If it is defined as a member of the species homo sapiens, then simple DNA tests would offer proof.


If, however, you are defining human in a more abstract sense... Then no absolute proof can be offered... Or if you go down the never-ending road of applying abstract definitions to terms like 'proof' or 'doubt', or even questioning our entire perception of existence... Then any consensus would be both impossible and irrelevant, as a product of our imperfect perception.

The ability to prove beyond a doubt one's humanity, is therefore completely dependent on one's definition of human as well as one's perception of the concepts of existence proof and doubt.

I'll go you one better... prove that you exist, or that anything you perceive exists, beyond any doubt... :wink:
 
A

Aerokush101

So is H i l l a r y C l i n t o n human? Because she doesn't look like she takes sh*ts, or knows how to start fires, or even reminds me of a guerilla. I actually heard she was a lizard. Hmmmmmm.
 
whiterabbit9

whiterabbit9

Active member
Veteran
i am reptilian too

btw us reptilians can't strive in this shitty environment

we need to go back to whats gold
 
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D

DogBoy

Grateful, the genus is homo, not homo sapien. It's also not about a DNA test, it's simply the reply you can give to the question that will prove that you are human. A DNA test will tell you your genus but it does not demonstate verbally why you are human. The verbal response is what i am looking for.

I'm looking for a single, verbal reply that will prove you are a human.
We think we have the best option but i'm curious. The replies so far are following the same path we did so i'm confident someone will share our view soon but noone has yet got it.

What is the one thing that humans can do that others cant, that is the proof we seek......
 
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Clarence

Clarence

FUZZY WUZZY
Veteran
B.C. said:
I think, therefore I am....
Click to expand...

Goldfish have brains too, they think too, therefore they are also. And in conclusion i can say that you are actually a goldfish. QED
 
B

B.C.

Non Conformist
Veteran
Grat3fulh3ad said:
I'll go you one better... prove that you exist, or that anything you perceive exists, beyond any doubt... :wink:
Click to expand...
I can do that in two words Head: TAX MAN! LOL!
 
D

DogBoy

Humans dont control fire, that's not an answer. There are tree's and grasses that use fire to spread and shed bark so that does not qualify.
 
B

B.C.

Non Conformist
Veteran
Maybe yer right...

Maybe yer right...

Clarence said:
Goldfish have brains too, they think too, therefore they are also. And in conclusion i can say that you are actually a goldfish. QED
Click to expand...
I'm just a lost soul swimming ina fish bowl, year after year, running over the same old ground of how I found the same old fears. Wish you were here....
 
C

cellardweller

DogBoy said:
The verbal response is what i am looking for.

I'm looking for a single, verbal reply that will prove you are a human.
We think we have the best option but i'm curious. The replies so far are following the same path we did so i'm confident someone will share our view soon but noone has yet got it.

What is the one thing that humans can do that others cant, that is the proof we seek......
Click to expand...

I think that you have stated the answer right there.
I have cognitive thinking and the ability to reason..
and then I can verbalize it enough to make the people around me understand it.
~cd
 
Grat3fulh3ad

Grat3fulh3ad

The Voice of Reason
Veteran
DogBoy said:
Grateful, the genus is homo, not homo sapien. It's also not about a DNA test, it's simply the reply you can give to the question that will prove that you are human. A DNA test will tell you your genus but it does not demonstate verbally why you are human. The verbal response is what i am looking for.

I'm looking for a single, verbal reply that will prove you are a human.
We think we have the best option but i'm curious. The replies so far are following the same path we did so i'm confident someone will share our view soon but noone has yet got it.

What is the one thing that humans can do that others cant, that is the proof we seek......
Click to expand...
I know what the genus is... But I said species which is more specific than genus.

Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Mammalia
Order - Primata
Family - Hominidae
Genus - Homo
Species - Sapiens
The DNA would prove that you belonged to the Species Homo Sapiens.
If being human is defined as being a member of the species homo sapiens, then yes a DNA match is proof positive. Our DNA is the only thing which is distinct to us among all other life.

My point is that your original question is 100% dependent on the definition of your terms, and that said definition is 100% dependent on individual perspective and perception.


Once again, I say... Define human. Homo sapiens sapiens? Everything since cro-magnons? All hominids?
 
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Grat3fulh3ad

Grat3fulh3ad

The Voice of Reason
Veteran
the irish one said:
Eh i think the existance of shaped glass and refined metals kinda knocks that one on the head.
Click to expand...
Not really... Man has indeed learned to manipulate small amounts of fire...

But...

Against a forest fire we are still without control... Fire is not ours it belongs to nature and cannot be used to define humanity of as proof of being human... Neandertals used fire and they were not humans. Neither were Homo ergaster or homo erectus, but they also used fire.
 
Kirby

Kirby

Member
YummyBud's threads are marginally more productive than this crap. I hope you were joking 'cause this is not what I would call 'deep', not even remotely close.
 
F

ForbiddenFruit

Isn't it impossible to prove that we are human because being human is only a concept or idea. See our language creates our reality and allows us to recognize our surroundings.

Language is the manipulation of symbols letting you know that your in a house in a particular state/country thats on the planet earth located in the universe. Planet earth has animals,elements,fire,trees but aren't these just names we have given things.

It seems that nothing is actually conceived in the concept of a name. So its easier to prove that we are a function of the universe the earth is "peopling" just as the apple tree apples. We are the universe's way of becoming aware of itself perhaps.

The thing defines us I think would be emotions and the ability to convert emotions and ideas into language and put our ideas on the 3D landscape. If you look around where you are sitting you will see a bunch of peoples ideas.

peace
 
Grat3fulh3ad

Grat3fulh3ad

The Voice of Reason
Veteran
ForbiddenFruit said:
Isn't it impossible to prove that we are human because being human is only a concept or idea. See our language creates our reality and allows us to recognize our surroundings.

Language is the manipulation of symbols letting you know that your in a house in a particular state/country thats on the planet earth located in the universe. Planet earth has animals,elements,fire,trees but aren't these just names we have given things.

It seems that nothing is actually conceived in the concept of a name. So its easier to prove that we are a function of the universe the earth is "peopling" just as the apple tree apples. We are the universe's way of becoming aware of itself perhaps.

The thing defines us I think would be emotions and the ability to convert emotions and ideas into language and put our ideas on the 3D landscape. If you look around where you are sitting you will see a bunch of peoples ideas.

peace
Click to expand...
coco, the gorilla who knows sign language, has displayed emotions and articulated those emotions through sign language. I remember reading an article quite a few years ago where coco had been given a pet kitten and during the course of time communicated her feelings about the kitten.

Having emotions and ideas and having the ability to communicate them to other members of our own species, or between species in the case of human and gorilla communicating, is in no way uniquely human.

The most distinctive thing... the only thing that separates us from other species... is the portion of our DNA which is unique to homo sapiens sapiens, and the unique talents those differences convey... The abilities themselves do not separate us, but the unique aspects of our physiology which contribute to our abilities does.
 
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