My definition of being human

One of my favorite discussions with friends is talking about what makes humans different from other animals.

It's intriguing to read stories about elephants recognizing themselves in mirrors, see video of dolphins playing with bubble rings, or see an animal that from our eyes appears to be mourning the loss of its offspring. So then what makes humans unique?

So my own conclusion when I think about it is this. To be human means having the capability to choose to act differently than our instinctive wiring or our cultural training tells us to.

Even so, I think this is a difficult thing to do. It's so much easier living on automatic pilot. And everything from art to science is influenced by the cultural thinking of the time. If you think otherwise, read some science histories and you'll see this pattern repeatedly.

But I believe it is this capability, this quality of being human, that makes all the difference because not only can we come to a new idea that contradicts the prevailing norm, we can convince others of the same and thereby change the world.