What It Means to be Human

Drawing on a range of disciplines, this provocative program looked at how discoveries in areas like fundamental physics, anthropology, and genomics are influencing our understanding of uniquely human characteristics. As science increasingly tests these boundaries — from the roots of morality and our capacity to contemplate our own existence to the emergence of artificial intelligence — what will it mean to be human?

This program is part of the Big Ideas Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
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Original Program Date: May 31, 2008
Moderator: Charlie Rose
Participants: Daniel C. Dennett, Antonio Damasio, Francis Collins, Jonathan Harris, Renee Reijo Pera, Patricia Churchland, Nikolas Rose, Jim Gates, Marvin Minsky, Paul Nurse, Ian Tattersall, Harold Varmus

Charlie Rose introduction. 00:41

Participant introductions. 04:03

What does it mean to be human? 07:57

What does the genome tell us about being human?15:22

How far along are we in understanding why we are different? 28:45

Is there anything that will change what it means to be human? 42:02

If reason is determined then where is free will? 01:02:30

Final thoughts? 01:16:47

[jmanj]

1:05:00 That was f'n Hilarious, Doc...Lmao
"Don't be a balloon!" 😅

[katiekat]

I seen a lot of people unable to drink their water because the other person picked up the wrong one. Oops

[paxdriver]

Fantastic but too many panelists for the allotted time! Would've been great as a duplicate separate discussion, we would've gotten a lot more out of the esteemed.

[erikabarragan]

I think you should look more into the matters of the heart. Because it can be touched and it can be felt . Most importantly it can be understood.

[hassaanmaqsood]

I should be in the panel, there are so many questions, answers and comments and hints from where we can lead ourselves to the answer.

[billgates]

I feel for Dennett. Trying to explain the "free will that matters" of compatabilism to people who are only interseted in the incoherent but intuitive concept we are raised with.

[willmpet]

The continual presence and argumentative nature of Mr. Collins redirected a discussion that COULD have been worthwhile, but wasn't.

[Alberiana]

Discussion is too scattered with so many speakers. It would have been more cohesive by taking up to 3 of these personalities and going in-depth with it.

[katiekat]

Wow. They have a lot of top dogs on this panel. It’s too bad they didn’t split this up so that we had a smaller panel but with each forum we would have so much more time with each one of these people. With so many of them here I am going to be left craving to hear more of what each one has to say.

[mrloop]

1:06 I can't see you, but let's have a show of hands

[dwaynefranklin]

None of the scientists answered the question

[christopherinman]

who is the cellist. i was introduced to momix through wsf and of course the panels are outstanding always. BUT WHO IS THE CHELLIST?

[dodget]

So when this Nicholas guy started getting condescending with that Renee lady about "we" and "what it means to be human for you New Yorkers is fundamentally different to what it means for someone in Malawi" he's taking what it means to be human from a subjective point of view, but what does it mean to be human from an objective point of view? It seems like the Renee lady is closer to achieving objectivity, but whatever it's fine.

[betweenearthandsky]

What is the name of the musician? It was deeply beautiful.

[ingenuity]

Don't sit too near Marvin Minsky. You can get hit by his waving hands. 😆😅
1:01, Minsky getting fidgety 😂

November 25, 2020.

[coreyp]

They should have done a double elimination debate tournament.

[kaarlimakela]

Too often we leave out the influence of our relationship to the Noble Dog for the last 33, 000+ years.
No animal understands people better than our oldest furry friend the canine, and people understand no animal better. In a way, we taught each other, and helped each other become what we are now.
As we transfered bits of this relationship to other creatures, livestock or pets ... these were some of our earliest scientific experiments upon which could hinge our modern survival.

[JohnWilliams-kmhx]

55:18   

(two minutes worthy of note)

[carldelucia]

I am saying this very early on, why do we always make the same mistakes over and over in the many thousands of years we can see in recorded history .We know the mistakes yet we continue to act in the same ways without changeing, in the big picture .War, economics and society as a group have always been done in mostly the same ways with diffrent words maybe but the same actions .We do the same things expecting diffrent results, for what ever reasons .This is insanity in its definition .I am speaking of the big picture for individuals and countries as well.We must stand back and see our actions over time as the same, why are these actions always repeated as if we can not change..? because change is always comming but we resist change in almost all ways unless its something we are born to, but even then they also will resist future change over the big picture of life for our group of humans..People hate change even if it will make things better .Not in the small things TV computers and smart phones they do not matter when it comes to War or starvation or failed governments or economic failure of a country or the destruction of the nature around us we will repeat the same mistakes again and again.

[WhyURnotPerfect]

To be human on this planet in a progressive society for the 99% means to be born without dictatorship, greed and monetary agendas of the 1%, Coupled with understanding of freedom, compassion and musical harmony, as well as plentiful necessary resources combined with an understanding of the humanity, together with our role in the universe.