Is being human a biological or mental condition?

There are behavior thought of as human behavior, and behavior thought of as inhuman.
There are physical attributes that are generally considered to be human, and attributes that could be considered inhuman.

If that is the case, can a human behave far enough out of the boundaries of human behavior to be considered something other than a human being while still having the same physical attributes?

On the other hand, if someones physical attributes changed to a degree where they could no longer be considered human, but he still behaved inside the norms of human behavior, would he still be human?

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Could every human being you know be considered a human being, or are humanity to broad a generalization to describe us?
Do you know anyone with attributes, mental or physical, that makes him/her more or less than human to you?

If it is possible to become inhuman, would you see someone who had achieved inhumanity as greater or lesser than yourself, if you saw yourself as human?

If one were to achieve inhumanity, what would he become?

How would you go about achieving it for yourself?

Is becoming inhuman a positive or negative thing?

When hearing the term inhuman, is your first thought that it is a positive or negative term?

Would it be easier to become more than to become less than a human being?

Does this entire train of thought sound utterly retarded to you?

What are your opinions?

I think you have been thinking too much about it, which isn't either good or bad. I personally don't really know what "being human" means, yeah, just like that. Quite much has been said about the matter, and I don't think there ever will be a united concept or deffinition about it. We simply are human, each of us and all of us.

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i don't know, you confused me...

i guess you could be human either biologically or mentally...
if you acted out of human norms, you'd still be human unless you were really far out...

extreme physical attributes would be consider mutations but the baseline is still human and if they acted normally, i guess they'd still be human

can other creature upgrade during their life time? i'd think that humanity in this context is more like describing civilization or maybe evolution of some sort...

i'd think that the people i know would be considered human, i guess i'd think that you'd be less human if you acted strangely, but then again people with mental disorders would still be considered human...

inhumanity is generally seen in a negative light, usually seen as someone unfeeling, but then again, from different perspectives it may be different. If someone was so powerful or advanced, they might see the world extremely different from us and act differently...

and i'd have to say yes to the second last questions, well not utterly, just partially...

[i]

Is being human a biological or mental condition?

Biological.
You can't say that someone with a mental problem is less human.
Behaviour is something acquired.

If that is the case, can a human behave far enough out of the boundaries of human behavior to be considered something other than a human being while still having the same physical attributes?

For me, it's more of a figure of speech.
Being smarter, stornger or anything the like doesn't make one any less or more human.

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Again, this is a race. People think of themselves being so special, since they are human?
A human is a human, a dog is a dog.
I'm usually on the dog's side. Being human is nothing to be proud of, and nothing that special. It's just an expression for our existance.
All those mental attributes, thinking, grapsing of reality, are common amongs every person.
So no, looking/behaving like a human, wouldn't make one human.
But it also doesn't mean this being is less than a human.

Could every human being you know be considered a human being, or are humanity to broad a generalization to describe us?
Do you know anyone with attributes, mental or physical, that makes him/her more or less than human to you?

Same as above. Those are not things that make one human.

If one were to achieve inhumanity, what would he become?

Nothing. Something else. Human is human. It's not something mental.

When hearing the term inhuman, is your first thought that it is a positive or negative term?

Both, but usually negative.
People use the term human as normal. This is silly though.
Humans can be good, but they are also cruel.

Would it be easier to become more than to become less than a human being?

If you consider being human as a behaviour so being better is always harder than being worse.

Does this entire train of thought sound utterly retarded to you?

A little. Lol, j/k

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Quote from NightSwan

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Again, this is a race. People think of themselves being so special, since they are human?
A human is a human, a dog is a dog.
I'm usually on the dog's side. Being human is nothing to be proud of, and nothing that special. It's just an expression for our existance.
All those mental attributes, thinking, grapsing of reality, are common amongs every person.
So no, looking/behaving like a human, wouldn't make one human.
But it also doesn't mean this being is less than a human.

That is why i suggested that this theoretical being could also be degraded to humanity...

Ah, the essence of existential and philosophical debate, right there.

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All biology.
Even if there were a talking pig
who'd love Scottish whiskey and
would read poetry when it rains, the
pig wouldn't be human.
One shouldn't think of the human mind as
the zenite of intelligence and
brain power. The pig would simply be
an intelligent pig.
Humans are always humans
and pigs are always pigs.

Quote from Mamsmilk

All biology.
Even if there were a talking pig
who'd love Scottish whiskey and
would read poetry when it rains, the
pig wouldn't be human.
One shouldn't think of the human mind as
the zenite of intelligence and
brain power. The pig would simply be
an intelligent pig.
Humans are always humans
and pigs are always pigs.

as i have already said, at the core of this idea, or at least close to it, is the thought that human is not the ultimate being, but that humans can be something greater than humans by not being humans.
to fit with your examples, the pig could theoreticly achieve an intelligence similar to human, but could he not also achive an intellegence with completely different values and characteristics, and be more intelligent than any human, but in a different way.
In short, he could evolve to be more human by gaining intelligence, but also through the same means become something far from human.

That said, someone becoming more inhuman might not become less intelligent, neither become smarter.

Quote from concrete

Is being human a biological or mental condition?

There are behavior thought of as human behavior, and behavior thought of as inhuman.
There are physical attributes that are generally considered to be human, and attributes that could be considered inhuman.

If that is the case, can a human behave far enough out of the boundaries of human behavior to be considered something other than a human being while still having the same physical attributes?

On the other hand, if someones physical attributes changed to a degree where they could no longer be considered human, but he still behaved inside the norms of human behavior, would he still be human?

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Could every human being you know be considered a human being, or are humanity to broad a generalization to describe us?
Do you know anyone with attributes, mental or physical, that makes him/her more or less than human to you?

If it is possible to become inhuman, would you see someone who had achieved inhumanity as greater or lesser than yourself, if you saw yourself as human?

If one were to achieve inhumanity, what would he become?

How would you go about achieving it for yourself?

Is becoming inhuman a positive or negative thing?

When hearing the term inhuman, is your first thought that it is a positive or negative term?

Would it be easier to become more than to become less than a human being?

Does this entire train of thought sound utterly retarded to you?

What are your opinions?

Why are you asking us?

[color=#ff0000]"“That's the difference between me and the rest of the world!
Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!” "[/color]

Quote from concrete

Quote from Mamsmilk

All biology.
Even if there were a talking pig
who'd love Scottish whiskey and
would read poetry when it rains, the
pig wouldn't be human.
One shouldn't think of the human mind as
the zenite of intelligence and
brain power. The pig would simply be
an intelligent pig.
Humans are always humans
and pigs are always pigs.

as i have already said, at the core of this idea, or at least close to it, is the thought that human is not the ultimate being, but that humans can be something greater than humans by not being humans.
to fit with your examples, the pig could theoreticly achieve an intelligence similar to human, but could he not also achive an intellegence with completely different values and characteristics, and be more intelligent than any human, but in a different way.

In short, he could evolve to be more human by gaining intelligence, but also through the same means become something far from human.

That said, someone becoming more inhuman might not become less intelligent, neither become smarter.

It's not possible for a human to be inhuman.
The moment that a human does something,
the act itself becomes humane, since it was
carried by a human.

@Nub mods
GB2 Philistia.

Quote from Caliber

Quote from concrete

Is being human a biological or mental condition?

There are behavior thought of as human behavior, and behavior thought of as inhuman.
There are physical attributes that are generally considered to be human, and attributes that could be considered inhuman.

If that is the case, can a human behave far enough out of the boundaries of human behavior to be considered something other than a human being while still having the same physical attributes?

On the other hand, if someones physical attributes changed to a degree where they could no longer be considered human, but he still behaved inside the norms of human behavior, would he still be human?

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Could every human being you know be considered a human being, or are humanity to broad a generalization to describe us?
Do you know anyone with attributes, mental or physical, that makes him/her more or less than human to you?

If it is possible to become inhuman, would you see someone who had achieved inhumanity as greater or lesser than yourself, if you saw yourself as human?

If one were to achieve inhumanity, what would he become?

How would you go about achieving it for yourself?

Is becoming inhuman a positive or negative thing?

When hearing the term inhuman, is your first thought that it is a positive or negative term?

Would it be easier to become more than to become less than a human being?

Does this entire train of thought sound utterly retarded to you?

What are your opinions?

Why are you asking us?

I already have my opinion, i just want to know what other people think.
I thought it could be an interesting subject to discuss

@Mamsmilk:

I see we think of this subject from two different directions, so that i cannot come with a counter argument, nor be persuaded to share your opinion...
A pity...

That's philosophy.
We never reach goals.
At least it is creative.

Quote from concrete

Quote from Caliber

Quote from concrete

Is being human a biological or mental condition?

There are behavior thought of as human behavior, and behavior thought of as inhuman.
There are physical attributes that are generally considered to be human, and attributes that could be considered inhuman.

If that is the case, can a human behave far enough out of the boundaries of human behavior to be considered something other than a human being while still having the same physical attributes?

On the other hand, if someones physical attributes changed to a degree where they could no longer be considered human, but he still behaved inside the norms of human behavior, would he still be human?

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Could every human being you know be considered a human being, or are humanity to broad a generalization to describe us?
Do you know anyone with attributes, mental or physical, that makes him/her more or less than human to you?

If it is possible to become inhuman, would you see someone who had achieved inhumanity as greater or lesser than yourself, if you saw yourself as human?

If one were to achieve inhumanity, what would he become?

How would you go about achieving it for yourself?

Is becoming inhuman a positive or negative thing?

When hearing the term inhuman, is your first thought that it is a positive or negative term?

Would it be easier to become more than to become less than a human being?

Does this entire train of thought sound utterly retarded to you?

What are your opinions?

Why are you asking us?

I already have my opinion, i just want to know what other people think.
I thought it could be an interesting subject to discuss

"This subject is too deep to ask a manga community." Is what I meant when I said "Why are you asking us?"

And the thing that defines the term human is human society. The majority.
It matters not if human society is in reality human or not, for society is the strongest force on this planet. It can be whatever it wants.
Right and wrong, truth and lies are devices only to manipulate and control society from collapsing on itself.

[color=#ff0000]"“That's the difference between me and the rest of the world!
Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!” "[/color]

Quote from Caliber

Quote from concrete

Quote from Caliber

[quote=concrete]Is being human a biological or mental condition?

There are behavior thought of as human behavior, and behavior thought of as inhuman.
There are physical attributes that are generally considered to be human, and attributes that could be considered inhuman.

If that is the case, can a human behave far enough out of the boundaries of human behavior to be considered something other than a human being while still having the same physical attributes?

On the other hand, if someones physical attributes changed to a degree where they could no longer be considered human, but he still behaved inside the norms of human behavior, would he still be human?

Are we human because we are born human, or could a theoretical other creature achive/be degraded to humanity by taking on our physical and/or mental attributes?

Could every human being you know be considered a human being, or are humanity to broad a generalization to describe us?
Do you know anyone with attributes, mental or physical, that makes him/her more or less than human to you?

If it is possible to become inhuman, would you see someone who had achieved inhumanity as greater or lesser than yourself, if you saw yourself as human?

If one were to achieve inhumanity, what would he become?

How would you go about achieving it for yourself?

Is becoming inhuman a positive or negative thing?

When hearing the term inhuman, is your first thought that it is a positive or negative term?

Would it be easier to become more than to become less than a human being?

Does this entire train of thought sound utterly retarded to you?

What are your opinions?

Why are you asking us?

I already have my opinion, i just want to know what other people think.
I thought it could be an interesting subject to discuss

"This subject is too deep to ask a manga community." Is what I meant when I said "Why are you asking us?"

And the thing that defines the term human is human society. The majority.
It matters not if human society is in reality human or not, for society is the strongest force on this planet. It can be whatever it wants.
Right and wrong, truth and lies are devices only to manipulate and control society from collapsing on itself.
[/quote]

If the subject is to deep, then would not I, a part of the community, be to shallow to ask it?
and if it were to deep, then you, another part of the community, would not have an opinion about it.

Are you saying that if human society were gradually taken over by inhuman elements, for example an artificial intelligence, it would remain human?

Or, would not someone who deviates from the general society be something else than human?

For AI, I have read a book by Hawkins that says the concept of AI is impossible to accomplish in the current era. One cannot create AI because it goes against the technological capacities we have. To create something that thinks one would need to make it have certain analytical properties that we understand little in ourselves. For example, to an average human being we constantly accomplish tasks that would require almost constant attention in a non biological entity. The simple process of catching a ball is a good example. For a machine to do such a simple task one would have to calculate a plethora of factors, and in the end this process might not even guarantee success. Humans can do this and much more. We do not like machines remember everything. Our brain uses variant memory. We only remember parts of things not the whole picture. In addition computers use set programs and we do not. I suggest you read Artificial Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins. Its quite illuminating. 😀

True victory does not come in defeating the enemy in battle, but in winning the war before the need of one.

Sun Tzu