the nature of humanity

[lorin]

See, I knew someone would do that.
You can't take an all encompassing concept like "the nature of humanity" and apply it to an individual.

Ahhhh, pay me no mind. But seriously, don't we all look at the general and judge how it relates to us personally?

[Fist and Faith]

Yeah, I guess we do that. But HLT's right, as far as I'm concerned. Humans have two arms and two legs, too, eh? But not every human is born with them. And some lose one or more at some point. Doesn't make them less human.

[Vraith]

See, I knew someone would do that.
You can't take an all encompassing concept like "the nature of humanity" and apply it to an individual.

Ahhhh, pay me no mind. But seriously, don't we all look at the general and judge how it relates to us personally?

That is a good point...or at least a good question. With a whole passel of related ones [about which I have an opinion, but not a truth/answer]
Do we judge the general in terms of what we, as an individual, should be?
Or do we judge the general in terms of what they, as compared to ourselves, should be?
When and why should "they" believe/listen/follow "me" or at least leave me alone?
[and vice versa]
In what way does the general matter? After all, there is nothing whatsoever which can be judged as "true" or "false" simply in relation to how many believe it, or for how long they have. The general is just an average. The average of 0 and 10 is 5. But 5 isn't more true or real or normal than 0 or 10. Nevertheless, they're all numbers. They all have something in common: They're rational whole numbers between 0 and 10, inclusive. That's what the question needs for an answer: includes all of humans, excludes everything else.

[Avatar]

Nature of Humanity: to reproduce.

That's it.
That's all we are.
We just happen to be more intelligent than bacteria and have nicer things but that's it.

In essence, HLT is right. Biologically speaking anyway. The point of life is to make more life.

The fact that we've reached a place where some of us may reject that imperative is great. But at base, life strives to increase life. That's how we all got here in the first place anyway.

--A

[Menolly]

So again...

Does Humanity's Nature = Point of Life?

I still think we're talking different things here...

[Avatar]

Are we? If life did have a point, wouldn't our nature be geared toward it?

--A

[Mooner]

You can't take an all encompassing concept like "the nature of humanity" and apply it to an individual.

But that is the question at hand -

Anybody got thoughts on what our nature is? A multi-faceted question, perhaps. What is common to all of humanity?

Distinctly human, in that non-humans don't display it, yet "nature" because all humans do.

I will submit that there may be a nature of all terran species, but for now we're looking for the 'distinct' nature of humanity, and not necessarily the 'unique' nature of humanity. That is to say (and noting specifically Lord High Tolkien's comment) what feature or trait do all humans possess.

If a Star Trek alien flew in fresh from the Beta quadrant and asked you: "What is the nature of humanity?", what answer could you give? So far, I have only one answer that's universal to all cognitive humans (humans who are capable of thought), and that is - Humans are beings that ponder metaphysical topics. It is their nature to do so.

[Avatar]

Was just thinking about this...our nature seems to be conflict. We're always engaged in conflict, externally, and perhaps even more often, internally.

Now, external conflict may not be distinctively human, but internal conflict may be...

--A

[SoulBiter]

Was just thinking about this...our nature seems to be conflict. We're always engaged in conflict, externally, and perhaps even more often, internally.

Now, external conflict may not be distinctively human, but internal conflict may be...

--A

Thats a good answer but it links with strive. We are engaged in conflict because we are striving to overcome or accomplish something. Not that conflict is a bad thing.

There are probably very few that are always at peace with themselves and the outside world for an extended period of time. Even Fist who says

"And I strive veeeeeeeeery little. I'm as free from ambition as anyone you'll find.

is only free from ambition right now. That could change based on an internal or external motivator.

[Avatar]

Haha, I'm pretty free from ambition myself. Always been able to be happy with what I have. I'm a very present-orientated person...don't dwell on the past, don't worry about the future.

But I think internal conflict is different from striving. It's the conflict generated by all your thoughts and impulses, and having to choose between them.

Humans are, as a rule, conflicted I think.

--A

[Damelon]

Pigs are flying today, I'm dipping into the Close.

Philosophical discussions, I usually try to avoid, since the arguments are generally circular, but I'll put in my two cents.

Humanity differs from the rest of the creatures of the world in two ways. One, we can ponder our place in the universe. Two, we know that one day we will die. Our struggles revolve around how we approach those two questions, which the other creatures of the world, so far as we know, cannot.