Abstract
Humans are the highest form of intelligent life on Earth. But what is it that makes us distinctly human? From a purely scientific perspective, what, if anything, sets us apart from other forms of life? Are there other important considerations, apart from the natural sciences, which might be necessary, if we want a complete picture of what it means to be human? In this chapter, we will explore these and other questions related to our humanness. We conclude the chapter by focusing on the question, what can we learn from an android about what it means to be human?
I am superior, sir, in many ways. But I would gladly give it up to be human.
—Data
Star Trek: The Next Generation
“Encounter at Farpoint”
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References
Introduction: Being Human
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Cell Structure and Radiation Damage
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DNA and the Human Genome
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Cloning
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The Island (Michael Bay, Warner Brothers 2005). Some of the clones are found not only to be biologically identical to their “sponsors,” but also to have their memories [DVD scene 13]
Human Teleportation
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The Fly (Kurt Neumann, Twentieth Century Fox 1958). A scientist works to create a matter teleportation device. Initial tests look promising, but the ultimate test has disastrous consequences [DVD scenes 9 and 10]
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Star Trek: The Next Generation – “Relics” (Alexander Singer, Paramount 1992). Information loss: “pattern degradation” [DVD season 6, disc 1, scenes 1 and 2]
Beyond Biology
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Dickerson, M.: The Mind and the Machine: What it means to be human and why it matters, p. xiv. Brazos Press, Grand Rapids (2011)
What Can We Learn from an Android About What It Means to Be Human?
Star Trek: The Next Generation – “Unification, Part II” (Cliff Bole, Paramount 1991). Dialog between Spock and Data, in regard to what it means to be human [DVD season 5, disc 2, scene 5]
Star Trek: The Next Generation – “Rightful Heir” (Winrich Kolbe, Paramount 1993). Data’s choice to be more than just a machine [DVD season 6, disc 6, scene 8]
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Luokkala, B.B. (2019). What Does It Mean to Be Human? (Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, and Other Considerations). In: Exploring Science Through Science Fiction. Science and Fiction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29393-2_6
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