The questions and the answers

[greyerrant]

[ A video post to the COMP network ]

[ Garviel stares into the screen for a moment his helm removed, his expression... pensive. ]

What defines humanity? At what point is someone so altered they are no longer human, and what emotions can we lose before are are not even remotely humane? I am curious.

Comments

video

[demifemme]

"It's a good question, isn't it? I've had my body altered by I still counted as half human. Then I was changed further and I still count as human enough for a big tester star in the sky, supposedly. And I've met quite a few demons more humane than the humans left in my world as well..."

Re: video

[greyerrant]

"Daemons are the end of humanity, their darkest impulses given form. They cannot be trusted."

video

[demifemme]

Well gee, thanks. Have you met a lot of demons? And by demon I mean anything supernatural like ghosts, gods, goddesses, spirits, angels, actual devils and etc.

Re: video

[greyerrant]

Yes. They set the galaxy aflame, turned brother against brother, and broke the back of the greatest golden age humanity had ever seen.

Video

[echo_of_a_jedi]

You're not going to like it if I say I consider all self-aware beings equal, are you?

Re: Video

[greyerrant]

I will say that I have yet to find one that hasn't treated humanity in a pointedly rapacious manner.

[echo_of_a_jedi]

Well, that's not really the point right now.

More to your point, your identity as yourself is more important that quibbling over the nature of species, at least from my point of view.

[greyerrant]

So as long as Garviel Loken is Garviel Loken, it doesn't matters if he is human?

Video

[all_wound_up]

What do you think it means?

[Nano's turning the question around on him, because it's something she honestly doesn't have an answer to herself.]

Re: Video

[greyerrant]

I don't know anymore, that's why I asked.

Video

[all_wound_up]

I think humanity is about having friends, and being able to relate to other people.

[greyerrant]

Ah, but the xeno-races also have friends and are able to relate to one another in many ways. What makes a human different from a primul, or one of the other races that have been encountered in the Great crusade?

anon voice because ferrus is being a coward;

[technomaturgist]

[ For someone used to listening to voxes, he might be able to hear the soft static that indicates All Is Not As It Seems. Mimicry is afoot. The voice (which has been changed from Ferrus's natural tone) sounds like a feral worlder, which might be a tip as to who it is -- not like there's anyone else from their universe here. ]

Humanity is defined by their ability to adapt, and change. Feelings and thought aren't uniquely ours, I think...

[ He's struggling to deconstruct humanity. There's a reason he's doing this in Frak's voice - and even then, he still sounds unsure. Frak's his confidence booster and he's still terrible at this. Topics that hit home, you found them...? Still, he goes down the list. ]

I think... most of the thing in having humanity and alterations is not losing your ability to adapt, to change... remaining human shaped works best, too. Like how you'd identify a machine by its shape. ...Of course, daemons shaped like humans notwithstanding.

That's what I think, though.

[ Ferrus, why didn't you say this in text. Still, he tried? Someone get him a gold star.

Also, he's the only one who says 'daemons' instead of demons and he was much too verbose to be a feral worlder. Faking it has never been more obvious.png. ]

[greyerrant]

And what if your form has become monstrous?

anon voice;

[technomaturgist]

[ Why he should have done a text post: verbal backspace doesn't exist. ]

Even if you are wholly human in mind... a monstrous appearance is all others will see. A monstrous form cannot annul your humanity... but others will treat you as a monster, regardless.

[ He knows this firsthand. He wears his mask constantly for a reason, Garvi.

Given, not always true.

But this is Ferrus's worldview. And he's dead to rights honest about it. ]

Re: anon voice;

[greyerrant]

Yes, I know. I will be a monster to so many mortals as long as I exist.

[epicbraille]

In the broadest possible sense, humanity could be defined as the human race itself, or the study of human culture.

[ But given that second question, Snake is willing to bet Garviel wasn't looking for an answer like that. ]

Are you familiar with the Locke's Socks paradox? It's also more commonly known as the Ship of Theseus.

[greyerrant]

No, tell me about it.

I didn't mean to leave this tag for so long, so have some tl;dr and a 1/3 to make up for it

[epicbraille]

It works for getting dressed in the morning, so we'll start with socks.

[epicbraille]

Imagine you have a favourite pair of socks, they're comfy and easy to wear. But, oh no, you find a hole in one of them! You can't very well throw them away, so attached as you are, and so you patch them up with a spare piece of cloth. Problem solved, crisis averted, everyone goes on with their lives.

But what's this? That same sock has a brand new hole before you know it! Well, you get more cloth and patch the sock up again. Too bad this hypothetical life is a cruel one. Each time you patch up the sock, a new hole appears the very next day.

Eventually the material from the original sock is gone, replaced by a rogues' gallery of scrap fabric. Is it still the sock you once treasured, or is it something new altogether?

[epicbraille]

The Ship of Theseus is rather similar.

Swap the holes and patches for broken and repaired ship parts and it's the same question; would it still be the Ship of Theseus once all the old and broken parts have been replaced with new ones? And what if a second ship was built out of the damaged parts, which would be the true Ship of Theseus?

In a way, it's a lot like your question of humanity and emotions. Don't you think?

[greyerrant]

Yes. I can see your point.

[maybe_a_king]

I believe all that matters is if you feel human or not. The form does not matter so much as the soul itself.

[greyerrant]

I'm not sure I believe in a soul.

[maybe_a_king]

Then do you believe in your own thoughts and feelings?