In this first week, we aim to work towards developing an overview of the remarkable species called "human" and a snapshot of the global issues that require urgent attention. We explore two distinct questions:

  1. what does it mean to be human? &
  2. what is the state of the world?

Most importantly, we aim to couple these questions in order to set the scene for the remainder of the course.

Learning Outcomes 

By the end of this weekly topic, you should:

1:  appreciate the scope and complexity of the challenges and opportunities facing humanity in the 21st century

2:  understand the concept suggesting that humanity is at a crossroad where human actions can lead to a bright or bleak future 

3:  identify some characteristics unique to humans 

4. understand the capacity of humans to shape the planet

 

Enduring Understandings

One species, homo sapiens, have emerged over a period of several hundred thousand years. Humans now number 7 billion and are the dominant species on the planet. The nature of humans has allowed them to shape the planet and societies in ways that threaten their own existence and that of many other species. Humans may or may not have the capacity to solve many of the problems they have created.

 

Required media: Viewing on YouTube is required. This week you need to set up a blog that you will use for the duration of the course with a weekly reflective blog entry of around 500 words. A template for Google Sites can be found here or you can use your preferred blogging platform. We suggest Blogger, Weebly or Wordpress. 

The big questions that you should start thinking about now are:

    • What does it mean to be human, what distinguishes us from other creatures?
    • What does it and will it mean to be human in the 21st Century?
    • How do our 7 billion fellow humans live right now?


Exploratory answers:  you might like to consider that humans are characterised by:

  • Their biology: They are relatively hairless, stand on two legs, thin skinned, very weak as babies and infants, have very peculiar reproductive biology and reproductive behaviours.
  • Language
  • Consciousness
  • Curiosity
  • Deep social interactions
  • Intelligence
  • Concept of and engagement with of time 
  • Abstract and symbolic thinking
  • Rationality
  • Spiritual and religious beliefs
  • Morality and ethics 
  • Culture

What do you think? And does thinking make you human?

Last modified: Tuesday, 27 September 2016, 9:02 AM