From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Tue May 14 2002 - 13:30:53 MDT
"Robert J. Bradbury" wrote:
>
> On Tue, 14 May 2002, Eliezer S. Yudkowsky wrote:
>
> > Our minds make us human. DNA has nothing to do with it.
>
> Actually, I'd refine this further -- it is our "empathy"
> that makes us human. The lack thereof -- e.g. the
> sociopathic tendencies of the Hannibal Lecters or the
> Freddy Krugers is what strikes fear in our hearts
> because they ignore the implicit social contract(s) that
> we have between ourselves as coexistant individuals.
Is that human or humane? If empathy is the thing, then there are plenty
of animal species that are 'human'. My chocolate lab is more human than
most anybody (except, of course, when there is food involved).
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