If an alien race appears and they look just like us, would they be humans?
- Thread starter rfpegasus
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Well most aliens are human. Damned illegals.
OT: Well in technicality they would. The only difference is of course it turns out we are compatible in terms of breeding.
Of course, getting that to happen is impossible.
OT: Well in technicality they would. The only difference is of course it turns out we are compatible in terms of breeding.
Of course, getting that to happen is impossible.
Well, it depends. They may appear similar/close to us in physical appearance, but what really matters is when you get down to the DNA and all that super spiffy stuff. Also, if they were able to breed with humans, that would most definitely solidify the link.[footnote]Warning, User has no damn idea what they are talking about.[/footnote]
They would be whatever they call themselves, We call ourselves Humans, they might call themselves Asari, Martians, or maybe Capricans. really it comes down to whatever they wish themselves to be known as, regardless of their looks.
THough if you were approaching this topic from a scientific, rather than a social point of view, they could only be called humans if they were genetically compatible, obviously they wouldn't be identical, different environmental elements affecting evolution and all that, but if they were close enough to us to be compatible genetically, then sure, they could be called humans.
THough if you were approaching this topic from a scientific, rather than a social point of view, they could only be called humans if they were genetically compatible, obviously they wouldn't be identical, different environmental elements affecting evolution and all that, but if they were close enough to us to be compatible genetically, then sure, they could be called humans.
As others have mentioned, they would only be considered the same species if the genetics were close enough to be compatible for interbreeding, a coincidence that would be staggeringly unlikely without some form of panspermia event having occurred in the recent past. Without that requirement, one of them could look like my twin brother and we still could not call him, or them, human.
Now, it very well may be that upon discovering this species we change the meaning of the term in question, making it so that the noun "human" refers to a particular sub-type of sentients rather than to our species in particular, but until such a change is enacted...
Now, it very well may be that upon discovering this species we change the meaning of the term in question, making it so that the noun "human" refers to a particular sub-type of sentients rather than to our species in particular, but until such a change is enacted...
Dictionary (as per .com) says...
1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or having the nature of people: human frailty.
2. consisting of people: the human race.
So...sorta? They pass #1 but not #2. They did not come where we come from. They don't share our history, culture, what makes us human besides just anatomy.
1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or having the nature of people: human frailty.
2. consisting of people: the human race.
So...sorta? They pass #1 but not #2. They did not come where we come from. They don't share our history, culture, what makes us human besides just anatomy.
If we can produce viable, fertile offspring with them they are technically of the same species. I'd call them humans.
Depends on their anatomical structure and genome.
Offhand, no.
Similarities in appearance do not constitute similarities in species.
Offhand, no.
Similarities in appearance do not constitute similarities in species.
If they can cross breed with us, yes, they are human. However, even if they don't, that doesn't mean they aren't people, worthy of equal respect as any human. Given how our pop culture represents alien life, I'm afraid humans may wage a xenophobic war against them if ever we meet.
Actually, scientific evidence shows homo sapiens- as in "us"- crossbred with other early humans. However, our genes were superior and allowed the descendants to be like we are today. Whether we can interbreed with this species depends almost entirely on whether they have the same number of chromosomes, not how similar their genes are. This is why two species of canine from entirely different parts of the world can interbreed. They have the same number of chromosomes, but their ancestors followed different evolutionary paths.Heronblade said:
More importantly: If this new alien race was drowning, would you rescue the-
I'll stop.
I'd consider them human, sure. People from other continents are still humans. Why should a neighboring star system be any different?
I'll stop.
I'd consider them human, sure. People from other continents are still humans. Why should a neighboring star system be any different?
People keep saying this, but Horses and Donkeys can produce infertile Mules. So the ability to cross-breed is not an indicator of the same species. I'm not a biologist but I believe it would be same Genus?Singularly Datarific said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule
In the same way that Homosapien could probably mate with Homo neanderthalensis.
If they had the same genetic code (or one traceable to a common ancestor), then yes they would be human in the manner that Cro-Magnons were also human in the long run. Realistically, the only reason an alien race would look like us is if either we shared common descent or it is an elaborate disguise. Being humanoid does not make one human, and a humanoid alien simply would have evolved features useful to them that coincided with our own. But to be identical is evolutionarily impossible. Being human is simply what we are: our specific flavor of sentient primate originating on Earth. Any other anthropoid intelligent beings would be something else.rfpegasus said:
Why do I have the feeling this is a way of coyly getting enough encouragement to go ahead with an alien crossbreeding thread later down the line? But then again, anything that even smells like a conspiracy theory makes my hair stand on end.
