What makes us human?

Humans are really good at wondering. Many of the most famous pieces of writing in history have been on the subject of human nature. These writings are so popular because they address a subject of interest to all of us: what makes us human? "The forces that most commonly motivate human beings reflect this desire: in each religion can be found a particular definition of what it is to be human; in possessions, wealth and career lie a way to define oneself based on goods and accomplishments; and in the bonds we choose to form with other human beings, we seek to find a reflection of ourselves and a way to define ourselves based on how we fit in with others." (Brittany Peterson)

A huge part of being human lies in the differences between us and other animals. Way before humans could begin to understand the brains of various animals using computers, these essential differences had to be instinctively discovered. The writers of Genesis, for example, depict Adam as separate from other creatures; created last, in the image of God, and given power over other creatures...specifically the power to name them.


These differences are a result of the gradual process of evolution. Pinker does a good job of illustrating this.I believe one of the key concepts that Pinker approaches is that the most important thing separating humans from other creatures is the structure and sheer power of our brain.

Is God in Our Genes?

I have never been a particularly religious person. Up until reading this TIMES article about "God genes" I have always attributed my lack of spiritual desires to my upbringing. I was not raised in a religious house hold; however both of my parents were.

The God gene refers to the idea that human spirituality has an innate genetic component to it. It doesn’t mean that there’s one gene that makes people believe in God, but it refers to the fact that humans inherit a predisposition to be spiritual to reach out and look for a higher being.

I have to say this concept makes alot of sense to me. I was not raised religiously, therefore we can attribute my small sense of spirituality to my enviorment. But with my parents, whom both of which were raised in a religious setting more is needed to explain their spiritual lacking. The idea of a God gene fills these holes.

On another note, this idea brings up an entirely different concept. "Back in the day," people used the concept of a God or multiple Gods to give understanding to things they could not explain. I find it very interesting that now we are using science to gain insight to the one thing (god) that many people use for understanding.

Language (again)

My internet has been acting absolutely crazy at home..soo we are going to get a bunch of posts up on one day to play catch up! This is again another comment on language..it really does fascinate me!

Chaos vs. Order is the ultimate dichotomy. Language restricts us not because it is faulty but because communication can only do so much. Words give us the chance to express ourselves but only to a certain extent. But what would we do without those words? Would total chaos occur? Yes, but that is only because we have already instituted a language within our lives. We have made it a necessity. If you rid a culture of something it depends on so much, like language, then chaos is to be expected. For example take the United States Declaration of Independence from the King of Britain.

When we first seceded from the King’s reign we decided not to instill a new form of centralized government because we hated the way our lives were run under Britain’s strict rule. We feared creating that unhappiness again. So what did we do? We did not unite in anyway. States were allowed to make their own laws, and each state did so. This created a strain in the relationships between states. Their basic laws and values didn’t match up, so no state could meet the other’s needs. Therefore, shortly after the United States Declared Independence from not only Britain, but the idea of a restricting structure of government, they realized that the structure that they felt restricted them was the only bond that could keep them united.

In this sense, language is our government. If we declared out independence from language, each individual could function fine on his own. However, when the time comes to unite together we would no longer have a central guide to keep us connected.

Language and Communication

Words serve to organize and communicate thought. Human beings naturally think, and it is nearly impossible to completely rid ones mind of all thought. However, do we think in words? I would have to say not exactly. Cognitive thought would occur without the existence of words. Would it probably drive us crazy? Yes. Picture this: A giant complex puzzle with pieces that all fit together in a logical fashion, However there’s a catch: the puzzle is completely blank. Now apply this concept to words and thoughts: thoughts being the puzzle pieces and words being the missing pictures on the pieces. The puzzle can still be put together; however, it is done with blind uncertainty with no apparent purpose or outcome. This is how Helen Keller must have felt before her encounter with Miss Sullivan. She must have felt in some sense helpless. She knew that her puzzle fit together, but she was frustrated that she could not express the magnificent picture it created. Her thoughts were always there, words gave her the chance to fill in her missing piece, organize her thoughts, and communicate her ideas.