In her book Humanly Possible, Sarah Bakewell writes about being human as culture, morality, science, optimism, and more. Bakewell opens with a musing on the Roman playwright Terence’s line about humans.
“I am human, and consider nothing human alien to me”
Bakewell explains that the line was a gag in a play that has come to be taken seriously. The serious part is that lots of people over the years have used the quote to define humaneness as boundless, experiential, connected, lived, and lots of other ways of imagining the human experience. Bakewell writes about how Montaigne apparently liked the quote so much he inscribed it in Latin on the ceiling of his homie – “Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.” The gag was in how Terence used the line to rip on a character in one of his plays who was nosey and always intruding.
In Bakewell’s way of thinking, this double meaning to both entertain and provoke is so very human. Some see the phrase as reflecting a profound understanding of human nature and empathy. It suggests that as humans, we share a common experience and that the thoughts, feelings, and actions of others are not foreign to us. It speaks to the universal nature of human experiences and the importance of empathy and understanding in our interactions with others. As a gag, it speaks to our human capacity (and desire) to be entertained by and with one another, at each other’s expense and in spite of our good or otherwise intentions.
***In the context of a social studies classroom, the quote can be a powerful tool to prompt discussions on various topics, such as human rights, cultural understanding, and the interconnectedness of human experiences. It emphasizes the idea that despite our differences, we all share a fundamental humanity that binds us together. This perspective can encourage students to approach the study of history, government, and society with a more open and empathetic mindset, recognizing that the experiences of others, regardless of how different they may seem, are ultimately part of the broader human experience.***
Terence’s line and Montaigne’s interpretation (or Sarah Bakewell’s spin) could be a nice entry for a lesson on humanism. Or, maybe that’s just what ChatGPT 4o and I think. So, what does it mean to be human in the age of AI? As AI becomes more sophisticated, tasks once thought to be uniquely human, might be automated. What does that do to our understanding of human identity, capabilities, and values? If I’m asked, what does it mean to be human in the age of AI – and I ask ChatGPT the question – and I take the response, work it over, copy/paste, do some light editing, read and reread it, wrap it with other text and thoughts and reflections, is it then mine? Is it then human? Yes (I think) these are my human thoughts and my human response, but this is evolving 🙂
