What makes us human?

Discuss the February 2017 Book of the Month, The Diary of an Immortal by David J Castello.
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Jennifer Allsbrook
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Re: What makes us human?

Post by Jennifer Allsbrook »

cjohns105 wrote:In many parts of the book we find Steven purposefully distancing himself from different aspects of his life before. At other times, the way he sees the world and the situations he encounters in it, seem to change dramatically in a short period of time without a conscious effort on his part.

What do you think the author is trying to say about what makes us human? Are the changes Steven goes through meant to aid him, or make a point to the reader? What do you think makes us human?
I am not sure exactly what the author may be trying to communicate to the reader. Change is a part of life and our ability to roll with the changes, to acclimate and adjust, make a difference in how the change affects us. On the larger topic of what makes us human - from a biologist's point of view, I would say that what sets humans apart from other species is our drive to achieve, to learn, and or to create technology. I started to say our concern for others but then I remembered all the species who exhibit parental care of the young, kin selection and altruistic behavior. We are not unique in caring for others or putting others' needs above our own. Once humans satisfy our basics needs, we begin to strive for more intangible things like knowledge or success. What drives us to spend hours researching, or climbing the highest peak, or training to accomplish feats of athleticism or art? Self-actualization and eventual self-transcendence. Good ole Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I believe this is what makes us human - innate curiosity, drive, and accomplishment.
Genaaa
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Post by Genaaa »

I think our emotions are what really make us human. We have the ability to form coherent thoughts and feel so many different things, all at once.
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bluegreenmarina
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Post by bluegreenmarina »

I think compassion and the ability to experience empathy is a big factor, as is our adaptability and range of emotional language enabled by our large frontal lobes.
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thabi
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Post by thabi »

Ability to think,adapt,love one another is very important and to love what we have to do always remember at all times that we are the master of our destiny,d that's what makes us the humans the most.
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AVIWESIKHULU
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Post by AVIWESIKHULU »

I think what makes us human is our innate curiosity and our ability to laugh, socializing, humanity beacuse a person is a person beacause of others
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Juliss
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Post by Juliss »

We were created to be human and function has such with the ability to reason, to speak and to pray. Animals were created to function as animals with their instinct to guide them. Robots are loaded with information by human beings and given the ability to process them.
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Moniquejm
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Post by Moniquejm »

Our ability to empathize makes us human. We understand how others feel and, most often than not, we comfort them to ease the pain. Just being intelligent and reason out are not enough to differentiate us from other species.
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Post by dhomespot »

I would have to say our conscious, soul, and the ability to reason would be some of the things that make us human. Immortality, after a time, may take away some of those things.
"Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other."- John Steinbeck
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lindikamazwi
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Post by lindikamazwi »

The fact we can think and react , whether positively or negatively and taking into consideration how the next person will be affected by our actions .
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Toria Mason
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Post by Toria Mason »

Being human, in essence, is what's inside. Love, hope, fear, making mistakes, falling and getting back up again, learning, failing, LIVING. That is what makes us human.
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KasieMiehlke
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Post by KasieMiehlke »

I believe our emotions and morals make us human. Our actions are not dictated by the need for survival, but by our conscience.
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Post by francislunganyigalo2 »

The desire to live guided by the principles of fortitude love and goodwill. the knowledge that someday you will come face to face with your maker and give an account of your deeds both good and bad
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Natalie Charlene
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Post by Natalie Charlene »

I agree with a lot of what I have read in this thread. Emotions, intellect, the ability to choose--all of these things are part of being human, but they are not necessarily what separates humans from non-human animals. It has been proven that other animals, such as mammals with higher brain function (apes, dolphins, dogs, etc..) do experience emotion and have certain levels of intellect (obviously not as high as ours). Our brains proportionately have a much larger frontal cortex, which makes us, mentally, who we are. There are other animals out there that do have some levels of consciousness, the ability to experience emotion, and display characteristics that resemble empathy. However, compared to the rest of the animals kingdom, these mental traits are our superpowers.
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matildajay
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Post by matildajay »

There are so many answers to this question. I would have to say our written and spoken language (stemming from the idea of logical thought), culture ( as in the social contracts we form with others, in circles big and small), and finally our range and capacity for emotions.
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Jeyran Main
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Post by Jeyran Main »

I believe besides our emotions and possessing higher intellectual abilities, it is our sense and soul that makes us human.
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