Hamuns! AGH!

Human#3.141592653 · 09-24-2002, 09:52 PM

I've noticed that many humans have very opinionated opinions (

) on humans. One person’s sig says: “You are speaking to a human being,” indicating that being a person is something to respect. Another has a quote form Neiteichze…Nietiechze…er…NeeChee: “Human, all too human,” indicating something vaguely disappointing.
What do you, (the people, the humans, out there some where, on line…I can hear you breathing!) think?
Do humans think?
Is being a human a good thing?
I assume that every one living and interacting with other humans must like it at least a little, but what I’m proposing is a *intellectual* (

) possibly *philosophical* (

) discussion about people. Which means to say that any thing said can be good in the big picture but doesn’t have to apply to the “real world,” (when I find it.)
Random facts are welcome.

Did you know that monkeys are the only other animals besides humans that masturbate?

BeardofPants · 09-24-2002, 11:57 PM

Apes do it too. And a lot of other animals will hump animate and inanimate objects without pursuing intercourse.

Humans, eh? How would you define humanity? Would you define it as good? Is there such thing as good? How would you define good? In whose perception would this belong to? Western? Does that perception differ from others? etc, and so forth. Is that what you're after?

Sween · 09-25-2002, 01:59 PM

that peice of info on the mokey will make for a good pub convo tonight.

seriously whats your point? Yes we all disagree on things. it would be a dull world if we all agreed and thought the same. i doubt there is anyone out there who is exctally the same as me (well i hope there insnt for the good of the world)

Treebeard's apprentice · 09-25-2002, 05:21 PM

This could take up an entire new forum. What do you want to talk about first? The existence of God or gods? The soul? Maybe we need to define what makes something human. In that case, where did we come from? If we evolved from apes, as many believe, at what point did we stop being apes and become humans? You also need to determine the difference between good & evil.

These topics (and others) have been debated before any of us were even born, and will most likely continue long after we're dead without ever coming close to a real conclusion. That's why philosophy is so phun

!

P.S. Dolphins are considered the most intelligent creatures after humans. They are also the only species known to have sex just for the fun of it.

BeardofPants · 09-25-2002, 05:24 PM

Erm. Bonobos do as well. In fact that's basically all they do.

Human#3.141592653 · 09-25-2002, 07:03 PM

The conversation I hoped to inspire is exactly the one we're having.
Go me!

I think that humans are nice in small protions. But most of the institutions (sp?!) they made are...er...well...flawed.

What's a Bonobos?

I also heard that about dolphins. I also heard that Bottle nosed (sea) dolphins sometinmes mate with river dolphins. They make these infertile hybred-dolphinms; like mules, only under the sea.

galadriel88 · 09-25-2002, 07:13 PM

This reminds me of a discussion we had in Science today...

We're studying about the planets, and our teacher told us that it is entirely possible for there to be a planet on the other side of the sun that we of course can't see, that has a climate very similar to ours with oxygen and water and stuff, and....intelligent life! Sooo, if there is this unknown planet out there with life on it, are there humans? Are they as developed as us? Do they have similar languages? And so forth. Just something to consider...

Rána Eressëa · 09-25-2002, 07:38 PM

Doubtfully there are humans. I don't think humans, apes, and all that could envolve in many different places, but maybe they could. There are probably creatures similiar to ours, or very different. I don't think there would be too many - if any - creatures exactly like the ones we have here.

I think humans just are. Now, either I will allow myself to believe every single creature is special, or none are - either way, however, none of them are any better than another, if you see where I'm coming from.

markedel · 09-25-2002, 07:45 PM

The reasons institutions are flawed are because humans are flawed. Wait three monts and you can help me with my political studies exams.

BeardofPants · 09-25-2002, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by galadriel88
Sooo, if there is this unknown planet out there with life on it, are there humans? Are they as developed as us? Do they have similar languages? And so forth. Just something to consider...

It depends on whether you think that evolution occured via convergence, or divergence. I haven't really decided yet which one is more feasible....

***HOBBIT*** · 09-25-2002, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by galadriel88
This reminds me of a discussion we had in Science today...

We're studying about the planets, and our teacher told us that it is entirely possible for there to be a planet on the other side of the sun that we of course can't see, that has a climate very similar to ours with oxygen and water and stuff, and....intelligent life! Sooo, if there is this unknown planet out there with life on it, are there humans? Are they as developed as us? Do they have similar languages? And so forth. Just something to consider...

Hmm maybe I'm just really tired and stressed out, but what are you talking about? Other side of the sun?? The Earth and other 8 planets aren't just on one side of the sun... We go around the sun in an eliptical orbit - like an oval. So that would rule out the possibility of a planet being 'on the other side of the sun.' Do you mean a possible planet that has an orbit farther than pluto that revolves around our sun?

Renille · 09-25-2002, 10:38 PM

I think...you just mentioned my sig...so I think I'll use up a valuable 4 minutes and post

.

Of course humans' institutions are flawed...nothing here on earth is perfect. Even in animal life, moms abandon their young and even eat them. Maybe there is some planet way up somewhere, and in that planet they're more advanced than we are. But not perfect. I don't think it's possible for an entire race to be perfect.

Sween · 09-26-2002, 09:19 AM

How does a dolpin masterbate?

Elfmaster XK · 09-26-2002, 10:38 AM

Quote:

(:rolleyes possibly *philosophical*)

Philosophical!!! Well i'd love to, but i'd just end up telling you everything is relative, and relativity is pointless. It all leads to existance is pointless. So i wouldn't talk philosopically to me

Quote:

Hmm maybe I'm just really tired and stressed out, but what are you talking about? Other side of the sun??

Perhaps she meant other side of the galaxy.

Quote:

I think humans just are. Now, either I will allow myself to believe every single creature is special, or none are - either way, however, none of them are any better than another, if you see where I'm coming from.

I'd agree with this!

Treebeard's apprentice · 09-26-2002, 01:18 PM

I believe that if there is life on another planet, it is probably nothing at all like the life we have here. There is a potentially infinite amount of ways for life to form, so the chances are unimaginably small that another planet will produce life exactly like Earth's.

This exact reason is why I have so much trouble swallowing the story of Superman. He's from a planet who knows how many light-years away, yet the dominant species were exactly like Earth-humans in every way. The only difference is that the yellow sun somehow gave him superpowers, which doesn't make any sense to me and no one has been able to explain it to me. At least Batman is slightly believable to a certain extent.

P.S. It is impossible for a human to lick their own elbow.

markedel · 09-26-2002, 03:04 PM

It depends on the nature of life. Maybe there isn't an infinite number of ways for life, especially sentient life to form. If so lifebearing planets would be very, perhaps uncannily earthlike.

osszie · 09-26-2002, 04:26 PM

I don't know if there is an infinite number of ways for life to form but on our own planet recent discovery of life that survives on the sulphur from undersea volcanoes has forced the scientific commuity to re-think "what is vital for life". Certainly it has changed how we think alien life would/could evolve.

As for life on other planets.......I see no reason why not. Space is infinite, and thus there are infinite possibilities.

Will we find life that is not terrestrial in origin? Who knows

. Two big obstacles are in our way. Space (obviously) we do not have the techonology to travel or observe very far into space (relatively speaking). Even if we did have such technology where would we go? To explore every star with planets would take hundreds (if not more) of years.

The second obstacle is time. We (as a species) have been here only a minute amount of time. It also looks like, if we're not careful, that this planet will be unihabitable (poution, irradiation, depletion of resources etc etc) relatively quickly. Now, the light from some stars has travelled for longer than the earth has held life, and we're only seeing it now! If we did discover intelligent life on another planet by the time we came into contact with each other we (or they) could have evolved into something completely different, if not died out entirely. (I'm not trying to be over pessimistic but species become extinct on this planet every day as new ones evolve)

The odds of finding a new alien species as it occupies its "time frame" are, to be blunt, infinite.

As a certain Mr Lucas said.......................

"A Long Time Ago.....in a Galaxy Far Far Away"

Wayfarer · 09-26-2002, 04:56 PM

We think humans are special because we are humans- we have a unique perspective. We are the only species that we have the inside take on.

And love us or hate us, humans are what we are.

Wayfarer · 09-26-2002, 05:00 PM

Although, personally, I think I'm pretty special because I know how to spell 'human'. ]: )

osszie · 09-26-2002, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wayfarer
Although, personally, I think I'm pretty special because I know how to spell 'human'. ]: )

Yes, vowel trouble is a terrible thing

(not a stranger to typos myself)

09-24-2002, 09:52 PM	#1
Human#3.141592653 Elven Warrior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Posts: 292	Hamuns! AGH! I've noticed that many humans have very opinionated opinions () on humans. One person’s sig says: “You are speaking to a human being,” indicating that being a person is something to respect. Another has a quote form Neiteichze…Nietiechze…er…NeeChee: “Human, all too human,” indicating something vaguely disappointing. What do you, (the people, the humans, out there some where, on line…I can hear you breathing!) think? Do humans think? Is being a human a good thing? I assume that every one living and interacting with other humans must like it at least a little, but what I’m proposing is a intellectual () possibly philosophical () discussion about people. Which means to say that any thing said can be good in the big picture but doesn’t have to apply to the “real world,” (when I find it.) Random facts are welcome. Did you know that monkeys are the only other animals besides humans that masturbate? __________________ You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.

09-24-2002, 11:57 PM	#2
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	Apes do it too. And a lot of other animals will hump animate and inanimate objects without pursuing intercourse. Humans, eh? How would you define humanity? Would you define it as good? Is there such thing as good? How would you define good? In whose perception would this belong to? Western? Does that perception differ from others? etc, and so forth. Is that what you're after? __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords

09-25-2002, 05:24 PM	#5
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	Erm. Bonobos do as well. In fact that's basically all they do. __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords

09-25-2002, 07:03 PM	#6
Human#3.141592653 Elven Warrior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico Posts: 292	The conversation I hoped to inspire is exactly the one we're having. Go me! I think that humans are nice in small protions. But most of the institutions (sp?!) they made are...er...well...flawed. What's a Bonobos? I also heard that about dolphins. I also heard that Bottle nosed (sea) dolphins sometinmes mate with river dolphins. They make these infertile hybred-dolphinms; like mules, only under the sea. __________________ You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.

09-25-2002, 07:13 PM	#7
galadriel88 Halfwitted Queen of Lothlorien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Far off in a dream Posts: 1,166	This reminds me of a discussion we had in Science today... We're studying about the planets, and our teacher told us that it is entirely possible for there to be a planet on the other side of the sun that we of course can't see, that has a climate very similar to ours with oxygen and water and stuff, and....intelligent life! Sooo, if there is this unknown planet out there with life on it, are there humans? Are they as developed as us? Do they have similar languages? And so forth. Just something to consider... __________________ The beuatiful mind/The beautiful heart/Doesn't deserve the pain/How can I stop the rain? -How Can I Stop the Rain? by Kessid, my new favorite band +Every good thing that comes into my life is only a reflection of the greatest gift of all; the offering of yourself, dear Son of God+ Always remember, you're uniqe, just like everybody else! "The one constant through all the years has been the Trombone. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. Its been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again, but the Trombone has marked the time. This field, this section, this band is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and could be again. Oh, people will come . . . people will most definitely come."

09-25-2002, 01:59 PM	#3
Sween im quite stupid Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cockermouth Posts: 2,058	that peice of info on the mokey will make for a good pub convo tonight. seriously whats your point? Yes we all disagree on things. it would be a dull world if we all agreed and thought the same. i doubt there is anyone out there who is exctally the same as me (well i hope there insnt for the good of the world) __________________ Yeah god hes ok but i would rather be judged by a sheep than that idiot

09-25-2002, 05:21 PM	#4
Treebeard's apprentice Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Wherever I may roam Posts: 207	This could take up an entire new forum. What do you want to talk about first? The existence of God or gods? The soul? Maybe we need to define what makes something human. In that case, where did we come from? If we evolved from apes, as many believe, at what point did we stop being apes and become humans? You also need to determine the difference between good & evil. These topics (and others) have been debated before any of us were even born, and will most likely continue long after we're dead without ever coming close to a real conclusion. That's why philosophy is so phun ! P.S. Dolphins are considered the most intelligent creatures after humans. They are also the only species known to have sex just for the fun of it.

09-25-2002, 07:38 PM	#8
Rána Eressëa The Rogue Elf Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,722	Doubtfully there are humans. I don't think humans, apes, and all that could envolve in many different places, but maybe they could. There are probably creatures similiar to ours, or very different. I don't think there would be too many - if any - creatures exactly like the ones we have here. I think humans just are. Now, either I will allow myself to believe every single creature is special, or none are - either way, however, none of them are any better than another, if you see where I'm coming from. Last edited by Rána Eressëa : 09-25-2002 at 07:40 PM.

09-25-2002, 07:45 PM	#9
markedel 'Sober' Mullet Frosh Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Queen's Posts: 1,245	The reasons institutions are flawed are because humans are flawed. Wait three monts and you can help me with my political studies exams. __________________ "Earnur was a man like his father in valour, but not in wisdom"

09-25-2002, 10:38 PM	#12
Renille Elven Lady of Speed-posting Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the cheese state Posts: 988	I think...you just mentioned my sig...so I think I'll use up a valuable 4 minutes and post . Of course humans' institutions are flawed...nothing here on earth is perfect. Even in animal life, moms abandon their young and even eat them. Maybe there is some planet way up somewhere, and in that planet they're more advanced than we are. But not perfect. I don't think it's possible for an entire race to be perfect. __________________ Oh the thinks you can think! Think and wonder and dream...far and wide as you dare! When your thinks have run dry, in the blink of an eye, there's another world there... (from Seussical the Musical. Listen to it...watch it...really.)

09-26-2002, 09:19 AM	#13
Sween im quite stupid Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cockermouth Posts: 2,058	How does a dolpin masterbate? __________________ Yeah god hes ok but i would rather be judged by a sheep than that idiot

09-26-2002, 01:18 PM	#15
Treebeard's apprentice Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Wherever I may roam Posts: 207	I believe that if there is life on another planet, it is probably nothing at all like the life we have here. There is a potentially infinite amount of ways for life to form, so the chances are unimaginably small that another planet will produce life exactly like Earth's. This exact reason is why I have so much trouble swallowing the story of Superman. He's from a planet who knows how many light-years away, yet the dominant species were exactly like Earth-humans in every way. The only difference is that the yellow sun somehow gave him superpowers, which doesn't make any sense to me and no one has been able to explain it to me. At least Batman is slightly believable to a certain extent. P.S. It is impossible for a human to lick their own elbow. Last edited by Treebeard's apprentice : 09-26-2002 at 01:19 PM.

09-26-2002, 03:04 PM	#16
markedel 'Sober' Mullet Frosh Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Queen's Posts: 1,245	It depends on the nature of life. Maybe there isn't an infinite number of ways for life, especially sentient life to form. If so lifebearing planets would be very, perhaps uncannily earthlike. __________________ "Earnur was a man like his father in valour, but not in wisdom"

09-26-2002, 04:26 PM	#17
osszie Elven Warrior Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 409	I don't know if there is an infinite number of ways for life to form but on our own planet recent discovery of life that survives on the sulphur from undersea volcanoes has forced the scientific commuity to re-think "what is vital for life". Certainly it has changed how we think alien life would/could evolve. As for life on other planets.......I see no reason why not. Space is infinite, and thus there are infinite possibilities. Will we find life that is not terrestrial in origin? Who knows . Two big obstacles are in our way. Space (obviously) we do not have the techonology to travel or observe very far into space (relatively speaking). Even if we did have such technology where would we go? To explore every star with planets would take hundreds (if not more) of years. The second obstacle is time. We (as a species) have been here only a minute amount of time. It also looks like, if we're not careful, that this planet will be unihabitable (poution, irradiation, depletion of resources etc etc) relatively quickly. Now, the light from some stars has travelled for longer than the earth has held life, and we're only seeing it now! If we did discover intelligent life on another planet by the time we came into contact with each other we (or they) could have evolved into something completely different, if not died out entirely. (I'm not trying to be over pessimistic but species become extinct on this planet every day as new ones evolve) The odds of finding a new alien species as it occupies its "time frame" are, to be blunt, infinite. As a certain Mr Lucas said....................... "A Long Time Ago.....in a Galaxy Far Far Away" Last edited by osszie : 09-26-2002 at 04:33 PM.

09-26-2002, 04:56 PM	#18
Wayfarer The Insufferable Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 3,333	We think humans are special because we are humans- we have a unique perspective. We are the only species that we have the inside take on. And love us or hate us, humans are what we are. __________________ Disgraced he may be, yet is not dethroned, and keeps the rags of lordship once he owned

09-26-2002, 05:00 PM	#19
Wayfarer The Insufferable Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 3,333	Although, personally, I think I'm pretty special because I know how to spell 'human'. ]: ) __________________ Disgraced he may be, yet is not dethroned, and keeps the rags of lordship once he owned