Stephen Cave has noted that what separates humans from other animals is “our massive, highly-connected brains” (16). According to Elaine Graham, many of the distinctions between human and nonhuman animals might appear to be “axiomatic.” but they are, in fact, “value laden.” (47). Francis Fukuyama contends that “every member of the human species possesses a genetic endowment that allows him or her to become a whole human being, an endowment that distinguishes a human in essence from other types of creatures’ (171). What Cave, Graham, and Fukuyama offer us in their remarks is a sample of the competing explanations of what makes us human and what distinguishes humans from nonhumans (e.g., animals, machines, or posthumans). Hence, your goal for this assignment is to draw upon a definition of the human to answer the following question:
Should transhumans be classified as human or posthuman?
Sample Solution
