User:Goethean/Human3
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Proposal
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| Human | |
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| Species: | H. sapiens
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| Binomial name | |
| Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758
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Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) | |
Humans are, from a biological perspective, bipedal primates classified as the species Homo sapiens (Latin for "wise man" or "thinking man") under the great apes family, Hominidae. Humans have an erect body carriage that frees their upper limbs for manipulating objects, and a highly developed brain capable of abstract reasoning, language, emotion, and introspection.
Spiritual and religious perspectives on humans state that they are spiritual beings whose destiny and purpose transcend the biological body. Such perspectives often emphasise a soul, qi or atman as the essence of being, and are often characterised by the belief in and worship of God, gods or spirits. Different religions include varied and contradictory beliefs regarding the origin of humanity and the cosmos. Philosophy, which includes cosmology, attempts to rationally evaluate these perspectives through argumentation and dialogue.
Humans are distinguished from other animals in many ways. They create uniquely complex and varied social structures composed of co-operating and competing groups which range in scale from nations to individual families. Social interaction between humans has established a variety of social norms, values, stories, laws and ethics which form the basis of human society. Humans are the only living beings that build fires or clothe themselves. Their desire to understand and manipulate the world around them has led to the development of science and technology. This natural curiosity also contributes to the self-awareness of humans and the development of unusually distinct personalities. Humans also have a unique appreciation for beauty and aesthetics which, combined with a desire for self-expression, has led to cultural innovations such as art, literature and music.
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[edit]Merge the following into the above:
- Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. Biologically, humans are classified as the species Homo sapiens (Latin for "wise man"): a bipedal primate of the superfamily Hominoidea, together with the other apes—chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons.
- Humans have an erect body carriage that frees their upper limbs for manipulating objects, and a highly developed brain capable of abstract reasoning, speech, language, and introspection. Bipedal locomotion appears to have evolved before the development of a large brain. The origins of bipedal locomotion and of its role in the evolution of the human brain are topics of ongoing research.
- The human mind has several distinct attributes. It is responsible for complex behaviour, especially language. Curiosity and observation have led to a variety of explanations for consciousness and the relation between mind and body. Psychology attempts to study behaviour from a scientific point of view. Religious perspectives emphasise a soul, qi or atman as the essence of being, and are often characterised by the belief in and worship of God, gods or spirits. Philosophy, especially philosophy of mind, attempts to fathom the depths of each of these perspectives. Art, music and literature are often used in expressing these concepts and feelings.
- Like all primates, humans are inherently social. They create complex social structures composed of co-operating and competing groups. These range from nations and states down to families, and from the community to the self. Seeking to understand and manipulate the world around them has led to the development of technology and science. Artifacts, beliefs, myths, rituals, values, and social norms have each played a role in forming humanity's culture.
Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates biologically classified as members of the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for "wise man" or "thinking man") under the great apes family, Hominidae. Humans have a highly developed brain capable of abstract reasoning, language, and introspection. This, combined with an erect body carriage that frees their upper limbs for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make greater use of tools than any other species of animal.
Like all primates, humans are by nature social. Humans are particularly adept at utilizing systems of communication for self-expression and the exchange of ideas. Humans create complex social structures composed of co-operating and competing groups, ranging in scale from nations to individual families, and social interaction between humans has established a variety of social norms, rituals, traditions, values, laws, and ethics which form the basis of human society. Humans also have a unique appreciation for beauty and aesthetics which, combined with the human desire for self-expression, has led to cultural innovations such as art, literature and music.
Humans are also noted for their desire to understand and influence the world around them, leading them to develop both advanced technology, philosophy and science, and elaborate religions, mythologies and superstitions, to attempt to explain and manipulate natural phenomena. This natural curiosity also factors into the self-awareness of humans, leading to frequent self-analysis (see psychology) and the development of unusually distinct personalities. Humans commonly attribute mystical or profound significance to their selves, such as in the soul, and have throughout their history devised a number of explanations for the relationship between their consciousness and unthinking body.
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[edit]Some of the major world religions and spiritual traditions consider human beings to be either: created in the image of a supreme being; illusion or Emptiness; a manifestation, emanation or individuation of the ultimate reality or Absolute; or inhabited and governed by personalized supernatural beings or souls.
The extent to which society and culture determine the content of human existence is open to debate with social constructionists and cultural determinists maximizing the influence of society and with biological, climatic, environmental, and genetic determinists minimizing it.
There are many apparently or actually contradictory origin beliefs and cosmologies among the major world religions and philosophies regarding the origin of humanity and of the cosmos.
The complexity of human society appears to be unparalleled among living things.