Secular Humanism and Humanity: What are they?

[Ignorant]

I will speak slowly, for the hard of reading. I . . . am . . . not . . . a . . . secular . . . humanist. My world view just doesn't happen to include god as anything other than a cultural phenomenon.

I never claimed that you were a secular humanist. "E.g." means for example. Even though my OP is specifically aimed at Secular Humanists, I understand it is silly to expect the interweb to stay on a single topic and operate within the bounds of an OP.

Your original reply DID, in fact, offer a brief (and admittedly non-robust) description of what you think distinguishes humans from other animals. I was interested in exploring that description, but it seems that you are not. That is perfectly fine. All you have to do is say so, which you actually did in this post.

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That really isn't what I wanted to know. I just wanted to know more about what your definition of human is. If someone asked you what it "meant" to be human, what would you tell them? You already gave a great start to an answer in your original reply. I am trying to respond to everyone on their own terms.

I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. Most people don't have a good definition of human beyond we know one when we see one. We do differ somewhat from other animals, but really, with the possible exception of language it's only a matter of degree.

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Like all species, we are special to ourselves. That "great start" is all the difference between humans and other species I have to offer.

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But consider this, do you think there is another species that ponders the question what is it to be us? That would be self awareness. So would knowledge of death.

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Great! Thanks for your input.

So, how do you define human? Seriously. It's a question that anyone asking should be expected to have an answer to.

and

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But consider this, do you think there is another species that ponders the question what is it to be us?

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I would also like to know how the person asking the question answers it himself. In particular, I'm interested to know whether your answer is drawn from personal reflection or taken whole cloth from authoritative sources.

Really? People who ask questions are expected to already have an answer to the question they are asking?

The truth is that I am still working out the best way to explain what I think a human being is. Is that ok? And, whateverist, the "answer" I am trying to formulate is being drawn from my own personal reflection of my own human experience together with what I find to be the best of the descriptions which have come before me. Shoulders of giants, as they say.

It has been my hope that some insights might come from asking the question in the OP.