Quote:
|
Originally Posted by asaris
I wonder in what sense the term 'human' is being used here; more specifically, what function the term is imagined to be used for. If it's merely being used scientifically, to denote the member of a particular species, I have no particular opinion, though I would suspect that once you have no organic components you would cease to be human in that sense. But if by human you mean a member of particular community, particularly a community of citizens with rights, I don't think you would cease to be a member of that community merely by a replacement of organic with non-organic material, even if that replacement was total.
|
The fact that we are born of women is not (IMHO) a slam dunk. Those who live among us and yet are not human do exist - Ted Bundy, Charles Ng, Mr. BTL et al. These "people" live amongst us, but are not part of our community. Humans are social animals - in a viable, caring and mutually supportive way. The freaks and snakes who dwell within our social manifestations as a cover in order to feed their dark and empty souls are not human, though they may be loved by their parents and by their children.
On the other hand, a person who through disease or accident has lost themselves is still human because they have willingly shared in and contributed to society when they were themselves. People who through genetic misfortune will never share in society are human because they never consciously and selfishly used society for their own ends. They are unfortunates, not inhuman.