More Inhuman Than Human

654 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How social norms affect society

According to Google, the first definition of inhuman is one lacking human qualities of compassion and mercy. The next definition defines inhuman as not human in nature or character. While this can be taken as those being that are less than human it also includes those that are viewed as more than human, making it have both a negative and positive connotation. Through the use of “social norms” the real definition of what is human, accepted, and what is inhuman, unaccepted. This would mean that those that are different are inhuman, leaving the decision up to the largest group of people that are banded together. This can be seen in those of different religious beliefs. Some of the bigger examples are the Christian wars and the witch hunts. I call them the Christian wars because they’re essentially when the Church declared all other religions blasphemy and those who opposed were put to death. An example of this is with Martin Luther, the father of Lutheranism, when he interpreted the bible differently. His interpretation is that one does not have to pay money for penance to receive God’s forgiveness and to enter into Heaven. Because of this he was declared heretic and was on the run as an exile. The Salem witch hunts are another great example of people being viewed as inhuman. These people simply had to act, talk, think differently and they were ostracized from the group and then punished. The accused would be publicly humiliated and forced to confess to being a witch. If they did they would be made to repent and then would be branded with a symbol so that everyone could see this person was different. Those who refused to repent would be put through a series of “tests”; those that survived were found guilty of being a... ... middle of paper ... ...hanged now, in the past horrors such as the lobotomy were committed. Psychopaths are the combination of criminals and mentally unstable. They are believed to have a mentally incapacity for emotions and empathy making them deadlier. This makes some of them end up in a split between either prison or asylums. It’s my conclusion that my very broad definition of what makes us human is still intact even though it contradicts the above. The only way a human can be inhuman is through another human’s perception. The definition of what is not human is decided by the majority. The idea must then be accepted by the group that is the majority. It is through this system that some of the most atrocious things have been done to those found to be inhuman. In the end the only inhuman, are those who think they have the right and authority to decide who is and isn’t human.

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Without Conscience By Robert Hare On Psychopaths

    1771 Words  | 4 Pages

    Are psychopaths like Alice, “mad or bad?” (page 21). The question whether psychopaths are mentally ill or just a bad seed has caused much debate. Dr. Hare explains that the problem is not only labeling them mad or bad, but who deals with them. “Does the treatment or control of the psychopath rightly fall to mental health professionals or to the correctional system?” (page 21). Not only are professionals confused on how to classify psychopaths, but the media also creates confusion. Psychopath means mental illness and the media uses the word to classify someone as, “insane or crazy”, (page 22). Dr. Hare explains that even though psychopaths, “cannot be understood in terms of traditional views of mental illness”, they, “are not disoriented or out of touch with reality, nor do they experience the delusions, hallucinations, or intense subjective distress that characterize most other mental disorders…psychopaths are rational and aware of what they are doing and why.” (page 22). Most professionals use the term psychopath and sociopath as one in the same. Since DSM-III, antisocial personality disorder has been used in place of psychopath and sociopath. Philippe Pinel was the first psychiatrist describe a psychopath and Harvey Cleckley was one of the first successful publish a book describing a psychopath to the general public . Pinel used the term, “insanity without delirium”, (page 25). Cleckley wrote The Mask of Sanity, which influenced researchers in North America. Dr. Robert Hare explained that WWII was the first time clinicians felt a need to diagnosis people with psychopathy. Due to the draft, there was a need to weed out the people could disrupt or harm the military structure. Dr. Robert Hare realized how hard it was to identify a true psychopaths from rule breakers and developed the Psychopathy Checklist. This checklist is used world wide to help clinicians identify true

    Read More

  • Without Conscience Chapter Summary

    1626 Words  | 4 Pages

    Psychopaths all have something in common, and that's luring unexpected people in their traps. Its part of human nature to wonder and question the unknown. Psychopaths are a clear example of the unknown with their personalities and behaviors that are far from the norm on a continuum. We wonder what makes them do some of the unimaginable and horrific things to people and/or animals. How could be prevent psychopaths from taking advantage and lessening the harm on the people that they can hurt. Not surprisingly, psychologists are trying to find pinpoints that can protect the psychopath and public from them.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Psychopath And Sociopath

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    Psychopaths are strict when committing a crime. They plan there crime before they do it. Because they think there crimes through, they are hardly found about. In the article, “Psychopath vs sociopath” it says “tendency to participate in schemes and take calculated risks to minimize evidence or exposure.” People portray them to be very violent people but it is rare for them to do violent crimes. They tend to do smaller crimes but they can be serial killers. As they feel no guilt when doing the crime, although, when they do a big crime they can be undetected for a long

    Read More

  • Mary Anne Warren's On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion

    1467 Words  | 3 Pages

    Warren begins her argument by explicitly defining a human person as someone who is a “full-fledged member of the moral community” (Timmons 385). Warren believes that this community consists of all and only people that possess the ability to express the five qualities that were previously mentioned as opposed to all human beings that possess the genetic code of humanity. Being a member of this community entitles a person to have full moral rights, including the rights of life and happiness, which must be respected. Warren justifies that the five qualities are sufficient criteria of determining the apparent “personhood” of a being by stating that such principles of humanity would be used when attempting to study alien life forms on distant planets. Despite discernable differences in physiological and (potentially) cultural development, these alien beings may demonstrate enoug...

    Read More

  • A History of Mental Care in America

    563 Words  | 2 Pages

    The early history of mental illness is bleak. The belief that anyone with a mental illness was possessed by a demon or the family was being given a spiritual was the reason behind the horrific treatment of those with mental illness. These individuals were placed into institutions that were unhygienic and typically were kept in dark, cave like rooms away from people in the outside world. The institutions were not only dark and gross; they also used inhumane forms of treatment on their patients. Kimberly Leupo, discusses some of the practices that were used, these included may types of electro shocks, submitting patients to ice bath, as well as many other horrific events (Leupo). Lobotomies, which are surgical procedures that cut and scrape different connections in the brain, were very common practice. They were thought to help cure mental illness, but often ended up with more damage than good.

    Read More

  • Psychopaths Responsibility

    1517 Words  | 4 Pages

    Furthermore, how does punishment come into play? It should be noted that just because a psychopath is not responsible for their actions does not mean that they

    Read More

  • Without Conscience by Robert D. Hare

    1924 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...res of the psychopaths and gives the reader various examples of these individuals playing out these characteristics in everyday life. A widely used checklist is provided so the reader can get a wide spanning view of what is accounted for when scoring a psychopath. This form of research is very important within the deceitfulness of this population; it allows the professional to ignore their words and examine their actions. Hare made it clear that it is not uncommon for there to be an emotional and verbal disconnect from their actions. With virtually no emotional functioning psychopaths feel no remorse for the offenses that they commit and it is very important that we work towards using the opportunities we have to study and assist these populations; not only for them but for ourselves.

    Read More

  • A Critique of On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion, by Mary Anne Warren

    1015 Words  | 3 Pages

    For if human' is used in the same sense in both (1) and (2) then, whichever of the two senses is meant, one of these premises is question begging. And if it is used in two different senses, then of course the conclusion doesn't follow”(Warren 434). With this, she concludes that a human being is one that is a fully active participant in society. In the moral community she insists again that morals and genetics must be kept separate, and that the moral community is composed of “all and only people, rather than all and only human beings”(Warren 435).... ...

    Read More

  • Iago Psychopath Analysis

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    Psychopaths literally feel nothing when it comes to violence or fear. Levy studies show that the emotional sectors of the brain are damaged. This makes them dangerous. They can not see that something is hurting or they are hurting someone.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Monster Culture

    757 Words  | 2 Pages

    To the primitive natural human moral compass, anyone different to that person is seen as a threat to their lifestyle and safety. This attitude towards differences stretched for centuries, and later developed into laws and principles, most of them stemming from the concept of religion (religion being a philosophy built upon and followed by those with similar moral compasses). By viewing other people as “dangerous” or “savages” because of differences in religion (moral compasses) or appearances / culture, it is a natural human response to go against that group of people to preserve their lifestyles. This concept stretches from the Christian crusades, Spanish Inquisition, and English Colonization, to more recent atrocities such as the Holocaust, the Khmer Rouge genocide, etc. Leaders calibrate their people’s moral compasses to their own direction and create this distinction of who and what is wrong. It is because of our moral compasses that we decide what is right with our society, and what we deem is not becomes an enemy and threat and must be

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Psychopaths

    1213 Words  | 3 Pages

    The media most often showcases psychopaths as individuals who are inherently evil and dangerous towards themselves and others. Yet, this concept of psychopathy goes far beyond this idea of pure evil and instead necessitates a needed psychological understanding. These individuals, psychopaths, are generally characterized by a lack of empathy and conscience. Indeed, psychopath’s indifference to the repercussions of their actions combined with other characteristics such as hostility and aggression make for a potentially dangerous personality (Lyken, 1996, p.30). In order to identify a psychopath’s recidivism, it is important to differentiate them from sociopaths who, instead of having a psychological impairment that makes it difficult for them to socialize, have been systematically under socialized (Lyken, 1996, p.30). In accordance. psychologists have developed the methods such as the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised (PCL-R) to help identify those with psychopathic tendencies (Walters, 2012, p.409). That is why predictions of recidivism among psychopaths is most efficient when done

    Read More

  • What Does it Mean To Be Human?

    1223 Words  | 3 Pages

    "I'm only Human," is a response everyone hears when someone makes a mistake. Does that mean humans are in heritably fallible? Or are we fallible because of society? In Mexico it is polite to greet someone by kissing them on the cheek, in the United States it is considered an invasion of personal space. Personal traits make up society, nevertheless there are characteristics that is common throughout all of our species. People's identity is formed through their moral behavior and conscience, making them human.For centuries humans functioned by morals and conscience, but in today's society we have a social order. The government and those in power help formulate our opinions and are utilized to keep us in check. The fundamental aspect of humans is morality and their relationship in society due to their interaction based on conscience efforts to keep order.

    Read More

  • Definition Of Being Human

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    What does it mean to be human? Is it the millions of cells that you’re composed of? Or is it something more? In George Orwell’s book 1984, through the use of his protagonist, Orwell looks at what it really means to be human. In a world that is built on destruction and manipulation, Orwell takes a look at how a totalitarian government affects humankind and a person’s ability to stay “human”.

    Read More

  • Critique of Kohlberg’s Claim of Cultural Moral Universality

    3483 Words  | 7 Pages

    It has been stated that a person’s sense of morality deals with how he should act as a person, as opposed to acting on the basis of his race, ethnicity or religion. This statement therefore implies that all people should have the same set of morals. People should be concerned with how they should act as people in general and not let other aspects of who they are influence their sense of morality. But in the end this belief has been proven to be false. Different people across the world have contrasting moral reactions, natural responses and thoughts to moral dilemmas. (Fleischacker, 1994, p.8)

    Read More

  • What it means to be human

    1890 Words  | 4 Pages

    What does it mean to be human? Sure, one must have the usual physical features such as fingers, eyes, arms, hands, feet, etc., but what does it really mean? Must the human be able to speak? To take upon the actions of themselves? Whatever it means, it can be interpreted in any way from anyone. The physical attributes of any human can be compared to those of our evolutionary ancestors. However, it is possible to believe that there are many characteristics that make a human, but only six define the true, ideal human.

    Read More

More about More Inhuman Than Human

Open Document