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Author Topic:   Human Special-nes
Doddy
Member (Idle past 5940 days)
Posts: 563
From: Brisbane, Australia
Joined: 01-04-2007


Message 30 of 35 (386855)
02-24-2007 8:36 AM
Reply to: Message 29 by Jon
02-24-2007 12:55 AM


Person = human?
Jonicus Maximus writes:
if I were an alien with a completely different set of DNA than all you people, would you stop calling me human?
Yes. You'd be an alien. You'd be equally as special as a human, seeing as you do everything we do and, presumably, think as we do. But you wouldn't be human. I think the closest you'd get is "person". I'd still call you a "he" rather than an "it", but I wouldn't say human.
Interestingly, this brings up the point of whether a person needs to be human. Just because all the 'persons' we know are probably human, doesn't mean they need to be, in my opinion. But then again, my favourite story of all time is The Bicentennial Man by Isaac Asimov (about a robot/man who wants to be declared a 'man', rather than a robot).
Edited by Doddy, : fixed formatting...didn't notice it was wrong

"Der Mensch kann was er will; er kann aber nicht wollen was er will." (Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.) - Arthur Schopenhauer
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This message is a reply to:
 Message 29 by Jon, posted 02-24-2007 12:55 AM Jon has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 32 by ringo, posted 02-24-2007 11:24 AM Doddy has replied

  
Doddy
Member (Idle past 5940 days)
Posts: 563
From: Brisbane, Australia
Joined: 01-04-2007


Message 33 of 35 (386977)
02-25-2007 7:26 AM
Reply to: Message 32 by ringo
02-24-2007 11:24 AM


Re: Person = human?
Just out of curiosity, how would you know if an alien was a "he", a "she" or an "other"?
I wouldn't. But I guess if Jon wants to be considered female, and I do refer to "him" as male, I will accept correction and use whatever gender label Jon prefers.

"Der Mensch kann was er will; er kann aber nicht wollen was er will." (Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.) - Arthur Schopenhauer
Help inform the masses - contribute to the EvoWiki today!

This message is a reply to:
 Message 32 by ringo, posted 02-24-2007 11:24 AM ringo has not replied

  
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