Hatrack River Forum: What is "Human?"

This is topic What is "Human?" in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Tinros (Member # 8328) on :

We're reading Frankenstein in English, and got into an interesting discussion today of what it is to be human.

DNA aside, what is it that makes something human? Can something that's not a homo sapien be classified as human?

For readers of Frankenstein: is Frankenstein's monster human?

For readers of SftD, Xenocide, and CotM, are the buggers and piggies human? Some of them? None of them?

I'm interested to hear your replies on this subject.

Posted by Tresopax (Member # 1063) on :

I think the buggers and piggies are people but are not human.

I think having a mind, soul, and moral rights or responsibilities means someone is a person. But I think DNA makes one human.

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

Holy carp! I agree with Tresopax.

He's said it all.

Re: Frankenstein's monster, he was most certainly human.

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

Human is a species descriptor.

Sentient is the common genre descriptor for beings other than humans, with souls or with self-awareness.

On the other hand, there are those whom believe to truly be human, and to be able to recieve all the benefits that encompasses including the reception of truly humane treatment you must be..

American

White

Male

Heterosexual

Protestant

and fit comfortably in the upper 5% income bracket.

But then people who demand those qualifiers, I don't consider to be very humane, and possibly not very human either.

Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :

Since we're on the topic...

...are the biological cylon models human?

[Big Grin]

Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :

Aw crap, I have four out of six Dan.

Do I get to be semi-human? Proto-human? Demi-human?

Posted by Tristan (Member # 1670) on :

Sub-human?

Posted by jennabean (Member # 8590) on :

SUPERHUMAN!!!!! That's me!

Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :

Its a great question.

I think the conclusion drawn by OSC and by Mary Shelley long before, is that if we call ourselves human, and that means something special to us, we have to be willing to accept the possibility that there are other people out there like us, equals.

I think in xenocide, the piggies want to be seen as "human" only because human is not a word for homo-sapien, but for, well, for our idea of being a real and good and seperate person.