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.