What Makes us Uniquely Human?

Those of us in OZ have the great opportunity of either attending the Sydney Writers Festival or viewing segments of it on TV in Big Ideas.

One I caught up with was about the above title and was a chat with two Professors who had studied in the own fields and questioned were humans fitted in to our planet? One professor who had studied monkeys and the Big Apes explained that although the apes in particular could communicate in some way with humans, he had never noted any skill of ‘story telling’ or ability to relate the past or future in these creatures.

With other examples they clearly pointed out with no surprise perhaps that we were at the top of the pyramid. We are the most intelligent and powerful even to the extent of decimating many lower level animals. We are capable of creating great beauty but also causing massive destruction.

There often seems to be both ‘evil and good’ in the world – perhaps this is the uniqueness of humans [as well as past, present and future thought], being able to do good things and evil things with no apparent contradiction?

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

I think that animals can relate the past in their own way as they can learn from their mistakes and other ways - take birds that learn to open shell fish by dropping onto or bashing them on rocks. That is taking past experiences and using them in the future.

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

Opposable thumbs?

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

I think animals can also do good and evil things, but perhaps the difference is that we can distinguish between them...

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

I would have said our ability to imagine things, as far as I am aware no other species can do that. It helps us do many things and be ready for the consequences.

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

ONE INTERESTING point among many, to consider our own mortality

odd how nature is able to fill a void, and be efficient , yet we have emotions that can impair and damage us, so are we really part of nature?? by
the very fact we are not efficient

the answer like so many things, has not a had a solution in thousands of years of study and thought.

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

I would have said the ability to contemplate the consequences of our actions as well as an awareness of our own mortality differentiates us from other animals and makes us human. I don't think it's emotion as animals have been proven to have emotions and to be able to show love. But they really do not evaluate consequences nor to they know they are going to eventually die.

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

What an interesting question.
Off the top of my head, here are some unique features of the human being....
(1) They exploit every level of the food chain.
(2) They can communicate through the generations by reading and writing, audio and video recordings, artefacts and monuments, etc..
(3) They are sentient, self-aware of their own existence.
(4) They can make judgements based on their own and others experiences.
(5) They are aware of their own impending death in the distant future.
(6) They alone (?) are capable of cruelty.
(7) They worship unseen gods.
(8) They have mastered the use of making metal and plastic tools, ornaments, etc.
(9) They can create and appreciate art.
(10) They can plan ahead, and co-ordinate a group activity - such as war.

I am now in deep thunking mode.....

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

Number 10 can be done by many group hunting animals

Re: What Makes us Uniquely Human?

It's been established that chimpanzees and other apes can pretend, meaning they DO have an imagination, but it's been hypothesised that they might not be able to fully tell reality from fantasy - bit like politicians! stevmk2