general When does a human stops being a human?

[Vefka 1,499]

Recently I learned about transhumanism. Basically it's a worldview that human is a pinnacle of evolution but still weak and can be improved. And this rises an interesting question - at what point of improvement a human stops being a human? Or course mechanical parts of the body won't make you a monster, but what about brain implants? Like memory, logic, concentration, etc improvements?

What's your opinion? 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Vefka

[ExplosionMare 18,079]

Once they no longer have their own thoughts than they can’t be human. I feel like having one’s own thoughts allow the human to have some sort of control over themselves and once that’s gone, there’s not much left. Having a bunch of mechanical organs can play a part in that as well.

[Misty Shadow 7,940]

When I was a kid, I admittedly always had power fantasies of being a cyborg. Today though, I don't realistically see myself getting mechanical implants and parts and all that, and it wouldn't feel natural. I especially would not feel human if they forced stuff like that on me, for sure. 

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

It is a word defined by boundaries of individuality. Personally, it does not matter to me, as I perceive the photon to be the constitutive particle of all matter. So, whether biologic or synthetic, the source remains the same. On a more personal note, I perceive the universe as the multitudinary experience of one singular entity.

But it is also important to allow the individual to struggle with one another, as is the purpose of polarity in our current reality. It creates conflict, much unnecessary, but vital to produce experiences at a faster rate.

[Evil Pink One 13,507]

Humans will stop being humans when they start turning into humans...

[Sonic Shimmer 4,133]

I don’t think the body represents the self, so the only thing that would stop a human being a human is death.

And that’s under the assumption that we only live once, which I’m not entirely convinced of.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Sonic Shimmer

[King of Canterlot 9,603]

If you go so far as to become like the Major from Hellsing Ultimate then your definitely not a human anymore 

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

I see humans from a biological perspective therefore a human never stops being human. Since if it did that would mean some form of metamorphis. Such as the caterpillar becoming a butterfly does so by using enzymes to then reconfigure itself into a butterfly. The question then remains is the butterfly a caterpillar, while technically it is not it is still the same living creature. So a human doing whatever would still always remain human if the soul and spirit is how you define a human. I believe as a species we are going through a difficult time as simply the fact remains with stem cell research we've more or less learned how to become immortal.

We have learned ways of recreating organs from a single cell of your body that contains all the ingredients your dna to make whatever you want. If you can use this same technique to keep your body regenerating perhaps a nano nanocellular robot or a virus that would continue to convert cells that were going through their later cycles to actually regenerate and rejuvenate. Only one problem with this is the fact some humans they create more humans, if people could stop repopulating we could live forever without problems but as there is an exponential growth in human beings this would mean we would overpopulate the planet. With all that said an immortal that would be kept alive forever by a modified virus let's say that keeps you regenerating and rejuvenated would still make you a human. 

 

[Fluttershutter 2,505]

People often think evolution is about becoming more "perfect" somehow but it's just about organisms surviving and finding a niche in their environment. There is no pinnacle of evolution.

As for transhumanism, any changes we make to ourselves will be conceived and created by humans so we'll still be human. If aliens abducted and modified humans then they might stop being human.

[SharpWit 2,699]

One could argue that any altercation made unecessarily to be one of forgoing your humanity, but that's putting it in a negative light.

I find myself getting caught on retaining individual sentience as well as some part of your organic self.

For example, I wouldn't consider someone to be "human" if they voluntarily uploaded their conscience into a robot body, but I'd be on the fence if it were uploading our conscience to a cloud to live out a digital existence when an organic one is no longer possible. But there's a question of whether what's uploaded is an indistinguishable copy and you're actually dead or not.

A huge part of it I feel is the necessity of a procedure. I might not count someone who has upgraded more than half of their body with cybernetics and so on. Theres also the question of genetic enhancment via test tube babies. At what point in our genetic code might we consider someone to be a new species?

My girlfriend drew the line at still having a brain when I discussed it in the car.

[DixonTheAdversary 1,632]

Once we aren't made of Flesh, Blood and Bone anymore. I can deal with bionic implants and whatnot if it's really needed, since we use some stuff like that for Medical purposes. But once we are made up of wiring, metal and circuitry, with very little organic substance left, that's when we aren't human anymore.

[TBD 17,256]

When they crawls on fours...yes, babies are not human. I'm telling ya the truth.