• Optional@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    No. Science is the only human effort that specifically defines what human is. If we allow that “sure being human is going to mess up science” then we have failed before we even started.

    I’m really surprised, although this is becoming kind of common so perhaps I shouldn’t be, to see all the comments saying effectively “yeah, so?”

    • dustyData@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Science doesn’t define what humans are. Humans are, then science plays catch up to try and define what that even means. Science is a human endeavor, a framework of thought, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it cannot exist without humans thinking, talking about it and doing it.

      • Optional@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        So if I ask you to define what a human is, you’re not going to draw at all from any previous scientific studies?

        I doubt it. Not to get too ontological, just saying science (biology, psychology, anthropology) very much do define what human is.

        • svieg@slrpnk.net
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          5 months ago

          For a lot of people, I would think that the answer to “what is a human?” Would be closer to religious and philosophical definitions than scientific ones.