What Does It Mean to Be Human?

Large family sitting at a table eating.
It takes 20 minutes from the meal's start for the brain to signal that you have eaten enough. If you eat too fast, you will probably overeat before your brain gets the latest information. (Image: Monkey Business Images via Dreamstime)

It’s an interesting question, what does it mean to be human? What sets us apart from all other creatures on this earth? Is it our ability to reason and think? Our capacity for empathy and love? Or is it something else entirely? To answer this question, we need first to understand what it means to be alive. Then, we can unravel the mysteries that make us who we are. So, let’s explore this topic further and see what we can learn about ourselves.

The qualities of being human

Our ability to work in large numbers

Most people ignore that humans can work highly efficiently in large groups. This is evident by the number of complex things that have been accomplished throughout history only through human effort. For example, large-scale construction projects like the pyramids or the Panama Canal could not have been completed without the cooperation of many individuals.

And in more recent times, tremendous feats like putting a man on the moon or curing diseases would not be possible without the coordinated efforts of many people. So what sets us apart from other creatures is not just our biology or our emotions but our ability to work together in large numbers and achieve great things.

Our biology

One of the key things that set us apart from other creatures is our biology. We have a complex system of organs and tissues that allow us to survive and thrive. We can breathe air, drink water, and eat food. We also can move around freely and interact with our environment. Other creatures don’t have these same capabilities, so they cannot live the same way we do.

Young woman sitting on a sofa crying.
We experience a wide range of emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, love, and compassion. (Image: Antonio Guillem via Dreamstime)

Our emotions

Another thing that sets us apart from other creatures is our emotions. We experience a wide range of emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, love, and compassion. Other animals don’t experience these emotions to the same degree, so they cannot interact with us in the way we do.

Our ability to think and reason

Another essential thing that sets us apart from other creatures is our ability to think and reason. We can solve problems, develop new ideas, and make rational decisions. Other animals don’t have this same ability, so they cannot communicate or interact with us the same way we do.

Our capacity for empathy and love

Finally, another thing that sets us apart from other creatures is our capacity for empathy and love. We can feel compassion for others and want to help them in their time of need. Other animals don’t have this same ability, so they cannot form relationships the way we do.

To be human is to have the capacity for empathy and love.
Another thing that sets us apart from other creatures is our capacity for empathy and love. (Image Jakob Owens via Unsplash)

What science thinks being human is

There’s no definitive answer to this question, as it is still much we don’t understand about ourselves. However, some theories may help to shed light on the matter. For example, some scientists believe that what sets us apart from other creatures is our ability to use tools. We’re the only species on earth that can make and use tools, which allows us to interact with our environment in a way other creatures can’t.

Others believe that what sets us apart is our sense of self-awareness. We’re the only species on earth that can recognize ourselves in a mirror, which shows that we have a different level of consciousness than other creatures.

Whatever the answer may be, it’s clear that there’s more to being human than just our biology. We’re complex creatures with many unique qualities that set us apart from all other life. And as we continue to explore and learn about ourselves, we’ll only get closer to understanding what it means to be human.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU