How do you believe humans are different from other species of animals?
What rights or privileges over other species or responsibilities to them do you think this difference gives us?
What difference do you think it makes that we raise our young, who are born relatively helpless, for
such a long period of time?
How important is the idea of having a soul to your idea of being human?
Do you think that having an afterlife is part of being human? If so do you think there are any
other species that also have one?
Does being human mean that we have a purpose in life? If so is it a particular kind of
purpose for the species as a whole or totally individual?
In medieval times humans were thought to be distinct because of their connection to the
divine, as manifested in their actions.
In the 19th century it was believed that humans could think in ways that animals couldn't, and
that was what distinguished us.
With the arrival of computers in the 20th century because they could do many things that
were formerly considered the exclusive realm of human thought an effort was made to
distinguish between computers and humans by saying that humans could feel and
computers couldn’t.
Bearing all this in mind do you believe that being human is more function of what you think, what you feel or what actions you take?
Do you think that being sexual is an essential part of being human? If so how does your sexuality contribute to your humanity?
Do you think that humans are basically monogamous, basically polygamous or does it vary with
individuals and cultures?
Do you think that competition and collaboration are both essential parts of being human? If so do you think we learn to compete and/or collaborate in our families or is this something that is instinctive to us?
Humans are the only species in which the young take care of the old at the end of their lives. What do
you think is the evolutionarily advantage of this?
What do you consider the advantages of being human?
What do you consider the limitations of being human?
Is there another species you would rather be? If so, what?