What Makes the Human Mind Unique?

Blind Hemingway

Ancient Iwaku Scum from 2006.
Original poster
MYTHICAL MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
NEVER
Writing Levels
  1. Adept
  2. Douche
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Primarily Prefer Female
Genres
Surrealism, Surreal Horror (Think Tim Burton), Steampunk, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Spaghetti Westerns, Mercenaries, Dieselpunk, Cyberpunk, Historical fantasies


What separates us from the apes may be the human tendency to nudge other humans and say, "Hey, look at this cool thing."
 
Yes, yes you are.
 
That's an amazing question .. which is totally up to debate. Neuroscience has yet to come up with a physical <-> mental connection. No one knows at what critical point do a bunch of neurons become self recognizing. Or how.

It's messed up and generally best left alone until a later time.
 
I agree with Unanun up to the point where he says it should be left alone. If science simply left things alone we wouldn't have a lot of the advancements we have now. Much has been shown and given to us because people didn't want to leave well enough alone and they felt the need to know was far greater than anything else.

Aside from that though, the video does raise an interesting question as to what truly separates us from our primitive cousins. I wonder what would be said by other professionals in other fields on the subject. Definitely interesting to say the least.
 
Well, that was more humour than anything.

Tangentially:

All things considered, what is the purpose of the human race? Of life, in general? Biologically it's to create a copy of ourselves and move on. But what then? Well, that's entirely up to you.

I think a neat way to tie up the question would be for us to replace ourselves with something superior. Create AI or something and then put ourselves in cryogenics forever.
 
All things considered, what is the purpose of the human race? Of life, in general? Biologically it's to create a copy of ourselves and move on. But what then?

This does not entirely mean JUST humans. Granted, we are on the topic of humans, but if you question the human race, then I think you have to question life in general. What would be the purpose of animals, bacteria, parasites, insects, basically any living creature that reproduces.
[actually, now that I just read the question again, I realized you stated all life in general. I still keep my statement as is.]

I personally do not think that there is such a necessary 'purpose.' Because, to me reaching for a purpose is like reaching for a religion to down* to give me all the answers which... no one really knows the answers to. In my stance, I personally just see that life will always evolutiononize [yes, I spelled that wrong] itself to become bigger and better, such as what Unanun stated afterwords, with AI technology. That, however, I think is just evolution on a technological scale, rather than on a human based scale.

*I did not have any intention of being offensive for those who do practice a religion. I personally do not care what religion anyone is in, and do apologize in advance if that happens to offend anyone.
 
You can't forget the arts. That's what makes us unique as a species as well.