definition essay about humanity

Essay on Humanity

500 words essay on humanity.

When we say humanity, we can look at it from a lot of different perspectives. One of the most common ways of understanding is that it is a value of kindness and compassion towards other beings. If you look back at history, you will find many acts of cruelty by humans but at the same time, there are also numerous acts of humanity. An essay on humanity will take us through its meaning and importance.

Importance of Humanity

As humans are progressing as a human race into the future, the true essence of humanity is being corrupted slowly. It is essential to remember that the acts of humanity must not have any kind of personal gain behind them like fame, money or power.

The world we live in today is divided by borders but the reach we can have is limitless. We are lucky enough to have the freedom to travel anywhere and experience anything we wish for. A lot of nations fight constantly to acquire land which results in the loss of many innocent lives.

Similarly, other humanitarian crisis like the ones in Yemen, Syria, Myanmar and more costs the lives of more than millions of people. The situation is not resolving anytime soon, thus we need humanity for this.

Most importantly, humanity does not just limit to humans but also caring for the environment and every living being. We must all come together to show true humanity and help out other humans, animals and our environment to heal and prosper.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

The Great Humanitarians

There are many great humanitarians who live among us and also in history. To name a few, we had Mother Teresa , Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana and more. These are just a few of the names which almost everyone knows.

Mother Teresa was a woman who devoted her entire life to serving the poor and needy from a nation. Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet who truly believed in humanity and considered it his true religion.

Similarly, Nelson Mandela was a great humanitarian who worked all his life for those in needs. He never discriminated against any person on the basis of colour, sex, creed or anything.

Further, Mahatma Gandhi serves as a great example of devoting his life to free his country and serve his fellow countrymen. He died serving the country and working for the betterment of his nation. Thus, we must all take inspiration from such great people.

The acts and ways of these great humanitarians serve as a great example for us now to do better in our life. We must all indulge in acts of giving back and coming to help those in need. All in all, humanity arises from selfless acts of compassion.

Conclusion of the Essay on Humanity

As technology and capitalism are evolving at a faster rate in this era, we must all spread humanity wherever possible. When we start practising humanity, we can tackle many big problems like global warming, pollution , extinction of animals and more.

FAQ of Essay on Humanity

Question 1: What is the importance of humanity?

Answer 1: Humanity refers to caring for and helping others whenever and wherever possible. It means helping others at times when they need that help the most. It is important as it helps us forget our selfish interests at times when others need our help.

Question 2: How do we show humanity?

Answer 2: All of us are capable of showing humanity. It can be through acknowledging that human beings are equal, regardless of gender, sex, skin colour or anything. We must all model genuine empathy and show gratitude to each other and express respect and humility.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of humanity

Examples of humanity in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'humanity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

see human entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing humanity

• crime against humanity

Dictionary Entries Near humanity

humanitarian

Cite this Entry

“Humanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanity. Accessed 23 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of humanity, more from merriam-webster on humanity.

Nglish: Translation of humanity for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of humanity for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), plural and possessive names: a guide, the difference between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.', what's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism', more commonly misspelled words, popular in wordplay, weird words for autumn time, 8 words for lesser-known musical instruments, 10 words from taylor swift songs (merriam's version), 9 superb owl words, 15 words that used to mean something different, games & quizzes.

Transfer and Postings

What Is Humanity Essay: Understanding The Essence Of Being Human

What Is Humanity Essay: What does it mean to be human? This is a question that has fascinated philosophers, theologians, and scientists for centuries. Humanity is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses a wide range of traits and characteristics. At its core, however, humanity is about connection, empathy, and the ability to experience a wide range of emotions and sensations. Throughout history, humanity has been an essential concept that has shaped the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. In this article, we will explore the essence of humanity and the significance of understanding what it means to be human.

You can read more  Essay Writing about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more. You can get more information through the transferandpostings. in . about what is humanity essay.

Table of Contents

Defining Humanity

Humanity is a term that is used to describe a range of traits and characteristics that are unique to human beings. While there is no one definition of humanity, it generally refers to the ability to think, feel, and act in ways that are distinctly human.

From a biological perspective, humanity is characterized by the unique combination of physical and cognitive traits that make us distinct from other animals. These traits include things like opposable thumbs, complex language abilities, and the ability to create and use tools.

From a psychological perspective, humanity is defined by a range of cognitive and emotional processes that are unique to human beings. These processes include things like empathy, self-awareness, and the ability to reason and reflect on our own experiences.

Ultimately, humanity is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses a wide range of traits and characteristics.

Understanding The Essence Of Humanity

The essence of humanity is about connection, empathy, and the ability to experience a wide range of emotions and sensations. At its core, humanity is about being able to relate to others, feel their pain and joy, and act in ways that are kind and compassionate.

Empathy is a crucial aspect of humanity because it allows us to understand the experiences of others and to connect with them on a deep and meaningful level. When we experience empathy, we are able to put ourselves in another person’s shoes and feel what they are feeling. This allows us to better understand their experiences and to act in ways that are supportive and helpful.

Social connections are also an essential aspect of humanity. As social creatures, humans are wired to seek out connection and community. Our social connections help us to feel a sense of belonging and to create meaningful relationships with others.

The significance of human experiences cannot be overstated when it comes to understanding the essence of humanity. Our experiences shape who we are and how we interact with the world around us. The ability to experience a wide range of emotions and sensations is what makes us human, and it allows us to connect with others in meaningful ways.

The Evolution of Humanity

The evolution of humanity is a complex and multifaceted process that has been shaped by a range of biological, social, and cultural factors. From the earliest human ancestors to modern-day humans, the evolution of humanity has been characterized by a range of changes and adaptations.

The origins of humanity can be traced back to our earliest human ancestors, who lived millions of years ago. These early humans were characterized by their physical adaptations, including bipedalism, increased brain size, and the development of tools and technology.

As humans evolved and developed more complex societies, we began to see the emergence of culture and the development of language. These cultural and linguistic developments helped to shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Technological advancements have also played a significant role in the evolution of humanity. From the development of agriculture to the invention of the printing press, technological advancements have allowed us to create new ways of living and interacting with the world around us.

Looking toward the future, the evolution of humanity is likely to continue to be shaped by a range of factors, including technology, and social and cultural developments.

Humanity and Ethics

The connection between humanity and ethics is a critical one. Ethics are a set of moral principles that guide our behavior and decision-making. As humans, we have the unique ability to reflect on our actions and to make choices based on our values and beliefs.

Ethical behavior is essential for humanity because it allows us to live in a society that is just, fair, and compassionate. When we act ethically, we are able to create meaningful connections with others and build trust and respect within our communities.

The significance of ethical behavior for humanity can be seen in the many different areas of human life. In business, ethical behavior is critical for creating a fair and just marketplace that benefits everyone. In healthcare, ethical behavior is essential for ensuring that patients receive the best possible care and that healthcare providers act in the best interests of their patients.

Ethical behavior is also critical for creating a just and fair legal system. When we act ethically, we are able to ensure that our legal system is based on fairness and justice and that all individuals are treated equally under the law.

Cultivating ethical behavior in society is an essential task that requires a commitment to education, reflection, and self-awareness. Ethical behavior is not something that comes naturally to everyone, and it is important to provide individuals with the tools and resources they need to make ethical decisions and act in ways that are consistent with their values and beliefs.

One way to cultivate ethical behavior in society is through education. By teaching ethics in schools and universities, we can provide individuals with a foundation for ethical decision-making and help them to understand the importance of acting in ways that are consistent with their values and beliefs.

Another way to cultivate ethical behavior is through role modeling. When we see others acting in ethical ways, we are more likely to model that behavior ourselves. By providing individuals with positive role models and examples of ethical behavior, we can help to create a culture of ethical behavior within society.

Finally, cultivating ethical behavior in society requires a commitment to self-awareness and reflection. We must be willing to reflect on our actions and consider the impact of our decisions on others. By taking the time to reflect on our actions and to consider the impact of our decisions, we can make more ethical choices and act in ways that are consistent with our values and beliefs.

Conclusion:

Humanity is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses a wide range of traits and characteristics. At its core, humanity is about connection, empathy, and the ability to experience a wide range of emotions and sensations. Understanding the essence of humanity is essential for creating a just and compassionate society that benefits everyone.

Ethics are an essential component of humanity because they guide our behavior and decision-making. Cultivating ethical behavior in society requires a commitment to education, reflection, and self-awareness. By teaching ethics, providing positive role models, and fostering a culture of self-reflection, we can create a society that is fair, just, and compassionate.

FAQs On What Is Humanity Essay

Question 1. What is humanity’s short essay?

Answer: Humanity is a concept that encompasses the many traits and characteristics that make us human. At its core, humanity is about connection and empathy, the ability to experience a wide range of emotions and sensations. It is what makes us unique and sets us apart from other animals.

One of the essential aspects of humanity is our ability to communicate and interact with one another. Through language and socialization, we are able to form deep and meaningful connections with others. This allows us to create communities, work together, and achieve things that would be impossible for an individual alone.

Question 2.  What are humanity and its importance?

Answer: Humanity refers to the many qualities and traits that make us human. These include our capacity for empathy, our ability to communicate and interact with one another, and our unique experiences and perspectives.

The importance of humanity lies in the fact that it is what makes us unique and sets us apart from other animals. Our capacity for empathy allows us to connect with others, feel their pain and joy, and work together to achieve common goals.

Question 3. What is humanity easy?

Answer: Humanity is the quality or condition of being human. It encompasses the many traits and characteristics that make us unique as a species, such as our ability to communicate and interact with one another, our capacity for empathy, and our unique experiences and perspectives.

Question 4. What is the power of humanity?

Answer: The power of humanity is multifaceted and can be interpreted in many ways. Here are some potential ways to understand the power of humanity:

• Creativity: Humanity has a remarkable ability to create and innovate, whether through art, music, literature, technology, or other forms of expression. This power allows us to continually push the boundaries of what is possible and to solve complex problems in new and innovative ways.
• Compassion: Humans have an innate capacity for empathy and compassion. This power allows us to connect with one another and to feel for others’ experiences, which can lead to acts of kindness, generosity, and selflessness.
• Adaptability.

Question 5. What are humanities * Your answer?”

Answer: Humanities refer to academic disciplines that study human culture, history, and society, including but not limited to fields such as literature, philosophy, history, art history, cultural studies, and languages.

The study of humanities helps us understand the complex and diverse ways in which humans have expressed themselves, interacted with one another, and shaped their societies throughout history.

The Cyber Space Summary

My Beginnings Summary

Share this:

Leave a comment cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Human Nature — What Does It Mean to Be Human

What Does It Mean to Be Human

• Categories: Being a Man Human Nature

About this sample

Words: 632 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 632 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

The power of consciousness and thought, connections and relationships, self-awareness and identity, the pursuit of meaning and legacy, conclusion: embracing the human experience.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life Philosophy

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 977 words

8 pages / 3447 words

1 pages / 676 words

4 pages / 1885 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Human Nature

Do people need to belong essay delves into the fundamental human drive to establish connections, form relationships, and be part of social groups. The need to belong is deeply ingrained in human nature and has significant [...]

Imagine yourself standing in the heart of ancient Rome, surrounded by a sea of eager faces, all anxiously awaiting your words. The air is heavy with anticipation as you prepare to deliver a speech that will shape the destiny of [...]

Throughout history, philosophers and scholars have grappled with the concept of human nature. This essay will explore the three major views of human nature: Tabula Rasa, Innate Goodness, and Evil Inclination. By examining the [...]

Introduction:In Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," revenge serves as a central theme, driving the actions and motivations of several characters. This essay explores the significance of revenge quotes in the play, shedding light [...]

In this paper I shall briefly define what induction is and attempt to explain David Hume’s problem of induction through examining the thre most common problems of induction, which are, the problem of the uniformity of nature, [...]

How far are you willing to go to get what you want? One of the themes in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is greed. How a humble person can turn into a savage and uncontrollable beast just for wanting more. In the play [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Essay on Humanity 1000+ Words

Humanity, the quality that makes us human, is a truly remarkable and defining aspect of our existence. It encompasses our compassion, empathy, and capacity for good. In this essay, we will explore the myriad ways in which humanity shines, using statistics, examples, and expert opinions to illustrate its importance in our world.

Acts of Kindness

One of the most beautiful expressions of humanity is seen in acts of kindness. According to a survey conducted by a leading charity organization, over 70% of people engage in acts of kindness regularly. This could be as simple as helping a friend with their homework or donating to a food bank. Such acts create a ripple effect, spreading goodwill and fostering stronger communities.

Empathy and Understanding

Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is a cornerstone of humanity. A study by psychologist Daniel Goleman reveals that individuals who practice empathy have healthier relationships and are better at resolving conflicts. This demonstrates how empathy contributes to a more harmonious world.

Scientific and Medical Advancements

Humanity’s quest for knowledge has led to incredible scientific and medical advancements. Vaccines, for instance, have saved millions of lives. According to the World Health Organization, vaccines prevent up to 3 million deaths each year. These scientific achievements showcase our commitment to improving the human condition.

Cultural Diversity

Our world is a tapestry of diverse cultures, each with its own unique traditions and values. A study by anthropologist Margaret Mead emphasized the importance of preserving cultural diversity, as it enriches our global heritage. Celebrating different cultures fosters tolerance and respect, vital aspects of humanity.

Environmental Stewardship

Taking care of our planet is another facet of humanity. Environmental experts stress the importance of reducing our carbon footprint to combat climate change. By planting trees, conserving energy, and reducing waste, we demonstrate our responsibility towards future generations.

Human Rights Advocacy

The advocacy for human rights is a testament to our commitment to justice. Organizations like Amnesty International work tirelessly to protect people from discrimination and injustice. Their efforts have led to significant improvements in the lives of countless individuals.

Philanthropy and Charity

Many individuals and organizations dedicate themselves to philanthropy and charity work. Bill Gates, for instance, has donated billions to improve global health and education. His actions exemplify how humanity can positively impact the lives of others on a grand scale.

Innovations in Education

Education is a powerful tool for personal and societal growth. Innovations in education, such as online learning platforms, have made education more accessible. These advancements promote lifelong learning and empower people to reach their full potential.

Conclusion of Essay on Humanity

In conclusion, humanity is a profound force that drives us to be better, kinder, and more compassionate individuals. Acts of kindness, empathy, scientific advancements, cultural diversity, environmental stewardship, human rights advocacy, philanthropy, and innovations in education all exemplify the incredible potential of humanity. Let us remember that we hold the power to shape a world where humanity’s brightest qualities shine through, making our planet a better place for all. As we move forward, let us continue to celebrate and nurture the remarkable nature of humanity.

Also Check: The Essay on Essay: All you need to know

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

✍️Essay on Humanity in 100 to 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 26, 2023

Humanity could be understood through different perspectives. Humanity refers to acts of kindness, care, and compassion towards humans or animals. Humanity is the positive quality of human beings. This characteristic involves the feeling of love, care, reason, decision, cry, etc. Our history reveals many acts of inhuman and human behaviour. Such acts differentiate the good and the bad. Some of the key characteristics of Humanity are intelligence, creativity , empathy and compassion. Here are some sample essay on Humanity that will tell about the importance and meaning of Humanity!

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Humanity 100 Words
• 2.1 Importance of Humanity 

Also Read: Essay on Family

Essay on Humanity 100 Words

Humanity is the sum of all the qualities that make us human. We should seek inspiration from the great humanitarians from our history like Mahatma Gandhi , Nelson Mandela , Mother Teresa , and many more. They all devoted their life serving the cause of humanity. Their tireless efforts for the betterment of the needy make the world a better place. 

In a world suffering from a humanitarian crisis, there is an urgent need to raise awareness about the works of humanitarians who died serving for a noble cause. World Humanitarian Day is celebrated on 19 August every year to encourage humanity. 

Here are some examples of humanity:

• Firefighters risking their lives to save someone stuck in a burning building.
• Raising voices for basic human rights.
• Blood donation to save lives is also an example of humanity.
• A doctor volunteering to work in a war zone.

Also Read: Famous Personalities in India

Essay on Humanity 300 Words

Humanity is the concept that lies at the core of our existence. It contains the essence of what makes us humans. It encompasses our capacity for empathy, compassion, and understanding, and it is a driving force behind our progress as a species. In a world often characterized by division and war, the essence of humanity shines as a ray of hope, reminding us of our shared values and aspirations.

One of the defining characteristics of humanity is our ability to empathize with others. Empathy allows us to connect with people on a profound level, to feel their joys and sorrows, and to provide support in times of need. It bridges the gaps that might otherwise separate us, creating a sense of unity in the face of adversity. Even comforting a friend in distress is a sign of humanity. 

Also Read: Emotional Intelligence at Workplace

Importance of Humanity 

Compassion is the fundamental element of humanity. It is the driving force behind acts of kindness, charity, and selflessness. Humanity is important to protect cultural, religious, and geographical boundaries, as it is a universal language understood by all.

When we extend some help to those in need out of humanity, we affirm our commitment to the well-being of others and demonstrate our shared responsibility for the betterment of society.

Humanity balances out the evil doings in the world. It creates a better world for all to reside. Humanity is the foundation of the existence of humans because it makes us what we are and differentiate us from other living organism who do not possess the ability to think and feel. It is a testament to our potential for progress and unity.

In conclusion, humanity, with its pillars of empathy, compassion, and understanding, serves as a guiding light in a complex and divided world. These qualities remind us that, despite our differences, we are all part of the human family. 

Related Articles

Humanity is a complex characteristic of any human being. It includes the ability of a person to differentiate between good and bad and to show sympathy and shared connections as human beings. The human race can win any war be it harsh climatic conditions, pandemic, economic crisis, etc, if they have humanity towards each other. Humans have the potential to solve problems and make the world a better place for all.

An essay on humanity should be started with an introduction paragraph stating the zest of the complete essay. It should include the meaning of humanity. You need to highlight the positive characteristics of the act of humanity and how it can work for the betterment of society.

Humanity is very important because this characteristic of human beings makes the world a better place to live. It is what makes us humans. Humanity is the feeling of care and compassion towards other beings and gives us the ability to judge between right and wrong.

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Kajal Thareja

Hi, I am Kajal, a pharmacy graduate, currently pursuing management and is an experienced content writer. I have 2-years of writing experience in Ed-tech (digital marketing) company. I am passionate towards writing blogs and am on the path of discovering true potential professionally in the field of content marketing. I am engaged in writing creative content for students which is simple yet creative and engaging and leaves an impact on the reader's mind.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2025

September 2025

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Defining the Humanities Essay

Defining the humanities, cultural event, music as an expression of humanity, comparison of the cultural expressions.

Various definitions have been given to the term humanity. Therefore, humanities are the many characteristics and branches of humanities such as theater, human being, art, culture, literature, food, music and the stories that try to bring out the sense in the world as we see it.

It is a discipline that introduces us into place and ideas that otherwise would not have crossed our minds. To elaborate further, humanities shows how events that took place in the past affect the present and the future, and how a person can evolve from the experience he has gone through and by what he has seen.

Humanities also look into the contributions of people either collectively or individually. An individual may think of the many discipline that humanity has to such as psychology, science and math and others that impact human culture.

“The humanities can be distinguished from other disciplines such as the social sciences, physical and biological because the humanities include the study of human subjects and the study of languages and literatures, the arts, history, and philosophy while all other forms of human inquiry are limited to the study of subjects that are not human (Proctor, 2008)”

These essay aims at bringing out the differences between humanities and the other forms of human inquiry and expressions.

The essay will aim at relating a particular cultural event that took place at a particular point in time and try to explain how the specific cultural event brought to the fore the lessons learnt concerning the humanities, cultural practice, art, style and genius of the period represented.

One of the most important cultural events I have experienced and which relate too is music. By definition, “music an artistic form of sound communication via musical instruments and voice that produce sounds and tones (Shaw, 2010)”. Music has been sung from time immemorial and it is as old as mankind.

The past cultures had music as does the present cultures. Some of the oldest songs were composed in 4 th century and written in cuneiform. By definition, cuneiform is a composition of characters made up of a collection of small wedge-shaped basics that were in use in traditional Persian and Sumerian writing.

“The certainty of how or when the first musical instrument was invented, however, most historians point to early flutes made from animal bones that are at least 37,000 years old (Reich, 2009)”

The music that was played in the late 50’s in Greece represented the humanities or the specific culture of the people of Greece during that era. Therefore, it can be seen that, music as a humanity reflects and mirrors the values and practices held through the life of an individual.

The music played today has undergone dramatic changes from the music that was played 50 years ago. The instruments used have also improved with the use of more modern instrument. The music has also changed with new genre of music coming up.

In the medieval age, only two styles of music were played and they were monophonic and polyphonic music only. From the medieval age, we came to the renaissance period which changed the way songs were composed and sung.

The classic genre of music was practiced in the Baroque era where music writers started composing and singing using various instruments and singing different styles of music. This allowed the artist to tell his story in his own unique way by the use of music.

In the 20 th century, music writers and artists were in a position to use varied instruments which far much sophisticated than instruments used in the medieval era. They make use of computers to change what they want in music, add sound effects and conduct computer work to enhance the sound quality of music.

This period was characterized by the emergence of various styles of music that are widely listened today. The styles include blues, hip-hop, rap, rhythm, rock and roll, gospel among others.

Music was used to express the inner feelings of human beings. There were songs sung during particular periods only to express certain feelings. For example, dirges were sung during funerals to console with the bereaved family. There were war songs that were sung to give the fighters morale to fight.

Music was used a symbol of cultural heritage. Music is conceived through the ear and thus used to express what the human is feeling such as sadness and happiness

The selected form of cultural expression which is music compares to other forms such as literature and storied in that they talked about the issues affecting people at that particular period and how the experiences shaped the future lives. The stories were told by the elderly and passed on to the next generation.

These impacted the present lives. The literature written during this time touched on the contemporary issues affecting people at that time. The literature was written in pamphlets and in scribes while currently it is written in more sophisticated materials such as the computer and laptops.

Therefore, music and literature compare in the sense that they were used to disseminate information that would help shape the lives of people in the future. These cultural expressions have undergone major changes which have made them more refined than in the 19 th century.

Proctor, R. (2008). Defining the Humanities. Indiana : Indiana University Press.

Reich, J. (2009). Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities. New York: Cengage Learning.

Shaw, P. (2010). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

• Life Culture in London South Bank University
• Latino Culture: Mexican-Americans and Puerto Rican Americans
• Song Analysis "Les Miserables"
• The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth
• Choral Music History
• Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, and Media Culture
• Cultural Factors and Their Influence on Individuals
• Perspectives of Death
• Racial diversity in The United States
• Socio-Cultural Analysis of Turkey
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, July 3). Defining the Humanities. https://ivypanda.com/essays/defining-the-humanities/

"Defining the Humanities." IvyPanda , 3 July 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/defining-the-humanities/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Defining the Humanities'. 3 July.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Defining the Humanities." July 3, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/defining-the-humanities/.

1. IvyPanda . "Defining the Humanities." July 3, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/defining-the-humanities/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Defining the Humanities." July 3, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/defining-the-humanities/.

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

What Does It Mean to Be Human?

We can’t turn to science for an answer..

Posted May 16, 2012 | Reviewed by Matt Huston

What does it mean to be human? Or, putting the point a bit more precisely, what are we saying about others when we describe them as human? Answering this question is not as straightforward as it might appear. Minimally, to be human is to be one of us, but this begs the question of the class of creatures to which “us” refers.

Can’t we turn to science for an answer? Not really. Some paleoanthropologists identify the category of the human with the species Homo sapiens , others equate it with the whole genus Homo , some restrict it to the subspecies Homo sapiens sapiens , and a few take it to encompass the entire hominin lineage. These differences of opinion are not due to a scarcity of evidence. They are due to the absence of any conception of what sort of evidence can settle the question of which group or groups of primates should be counted as human. Biologists aren’t equipped to tell us whether an organism is a human organism because “human” is a folk category rather a scientific one.

Some folk-categories correspond more or less precisely to scientific categories. To use a well-worn example, the folk category “water” is coextensive with the scientific category “H2O.” But not every folk category is even approximately reducible to a scientific one. Consider the category “weed.” Weeds don’t have any biological properties that distinguish them from non-weeds. In fact, one could know everything there is to know biologically about a plant, but still not know that it is a weed. So, at least in this respect, being human is more like being a weed than it is like being water.

If this sounds strange to you, it is probably because you are already committed to one or another conception of the human (for example, that all and only members of Homo sapiens are human). However, claims like “an animal is human only if it is a member of the species Homo sapiens ” are stipulated rather than discovered. In deciding that all and only Homo sapiens are humans, one is expressing a preference about where the boundary separating humans from non-humans should be drawn, rather than discovering where such a boundary lays.

If science can’t give us an account of the human, why not turn to the folk for an answer?

Unfortunately, this strategy multiplies the problem rather than resolving it. When we look at how ordinary people have used the term “human” and its equivalents across cultures and throughout the span of history, we discover that often (maybe even typically) members of our species are explicitly excluded from the category of the human. It’s well-known that the Nazis considered Jews to be non-human creatures ( Untermenschen ), and somewhat less well-known that fifteenth-century Spanish colonists took a similar stance towards the indigenous inhabitants of the Caribbean islands, as did North Americans toward enslaved Africans (my 2011 book Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others , gives many more examples). Another example is provided by the seemingly interminable debate about the moral permissibility of abortion, which almost always turns on the question of whether the embryo is a human being.

At this point, it looks like the concept of the human is hopelessly confused. But looked at in the right way, it’s possible to discern a deeper order in the seeming chaos. The picture only seems chaotic if one assumes that “human” is supposed to designate a certain taxonomic category across the board (‘in every possible world’ as philosophers like to say). But if we think of it as an indexical expression – a term that gets its content from the context in which it is uttered – a very different picture emerges.

Paradigmatic indexical terms include words like “now,” “here,” and “I.” Most words name exactly the same thing, irrespective of when, where, and by whom they are uttered. For instance, when anyone anywhere correctly uses the expression ‘the Eiffel Tower,’ they are naming one and the same architectural structure. In contrast, the word “now” names the moment at which the word is uttered, the word “here” names the place where it is uttered, and the word “I” names the person uttering it. If I am right, the word “human” works in much the same way that these words do. When we describe others as human, we are saying that they are members of our own kind or, more precisely, members of our own natural kind.

What’s a natural kind? The best way to wrap one’s mind around the notion of natural kinds is to contrast them with artificial kinds. Airplane pilots are an artificial kind, as are Red Sox fans and residents of New Jersey, because they only exist in virtue of human linguistic and social practices, whereas natural kinds (for example, chemical elements and compounds, microphysical particles, and, more controversially, biological species) exist ‘out there’ in the world. Our concepts of natural are concepts that purport to correspond to the structural fault-lines of a mind-independent world. In Plato’s vivid metaphor, they ‘cut nature at its joints.’ Weeds are an artificial kind, because they exist only in virtue of certain linguistic conventions and social practices, but pteridophyta (ferns) are a natural kind because, unlike weeds, their existence is insensitive to our linguistic conventions.

Philosophers distinguish the linguistic meaning of indexical expressions from their content. The content of an indexical is whatever it names. For example, if you were to say ‘I am here’, the word ‘here’ names the spot where you are sitting. Its linguistic meaning is ‘the place where I am when I utter the word “here”.’ If ‘human’ means ‘my own natural kind,’ then referring to a being as human boils down to the assertion that the other is a member of the natural kind that the speaker believes herself to be. This goes a long way towards explaining why a statement of the form ‘x is human,’ in the mouth of a biologist might mean ‘x is a member of the species Homo sapiens ’ while the very same statement in the mouth of a Nazi might mean ‘x is a member of the Aryan race.’ That's what it means to be human.

David Livingstone Smith, Ph.D ., is professor of philosophy at the University of New England.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

It’s increasingly common for someone to be diagnosed with a condition such as ADHD or autism as an adult. A diagnosis often brings relief, but it can also come with as many questions as answers.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Humanity

The death sentence debate: balancing justice, ethics, and humanity.

The death sentence, also known as capital punishment, has long been a contentious topic, sparking impassioned debates worldwide. This essay delves into the multifaceted arguments surrounding the death sentence, examining its place within the criminal justice system, ethical considerations, and the broader implications for society....

• Death Penalty

An Essential Part to Contribute the Development of Bravery

My top five strengths in order are Bravery, Forgiveness, Humility, Perspective, and Humor. I do think bravery as my top strength describes me very well and relates to me as well because I do speak up about my opinions without feeling any fear of judgement...

Definition Of Humanity: What Makes Us Human

The true definition of humanity is understanding the entire human race. Humanity can be better-understood with empathy because if we were able to look at everyone from an equal perspective, we would be able to feel sympathy for others. This way stigma associated with certain...

• Human Behavior

Why War and Leader Pride Will Become the End of Humanity

“If the humanity will go beyond more advanced, then it will be The End of the Humanity” The weapons of the war are getting more advanced, they’re getting more deadlier than ever before and then one day, with only a tap of the button, and...

• Nuclear War

Search for Peace in the Just War Theory

In the article, “Does Peace Have a Chance?” that was printed by Slate on August 4, 2009, the author, John Horgan, evaluates the notion whether the actions and behaviour of mankind leads to antagonism and enmity which is the main cause of war and assesses...

• Just War Theory

Stressed out with your paper?

Consider using writing assistance:

• 100% unique papers
• 3 hrs deadline option

The Inherent Good and Evil of Humanity in The Breadwinner

Is humanity really good? Do you think that people running around hurting people is good? I do not believe that hurting people is good but I do agree that humanity is good. Even though there are shootings and bad things happen, a ton of good...

• The Breadwinner

Nature in Connection to Humanity in Robert Frost's’ Work

Nature is ever changing. Alongside the changes in seasons, changes in human life are occurring too. Just as nature is beautiful and pure, human life is the same. Robert Frost capitalizes these two aspects of life and uses it to give life to his poems....

• Acquainted With The Night
• Robert Frost

A Loss of Humanity under the Control of Force in Trojan Women, War and the Iliad, and Survival in Auschwitz

When people are thrown into the harshest environment in which they are faced with hopelessness and certainty of death, their most distinguishing trait is revealed: determination to keep going. One’s power of perseverance is essential since it indicates whether the result will be positive or...

• Survival in Auschwitz

The Interferences and Humanity Freedom of Woodrow Wilson's Campaign

An assortment of speeches by Woodrow Wilson during his presidential campaign of 1912 known as the New Freedom, Wilson quarrels that altering pecuniary circumstances demanded innovative and belligerent government guidelines. Through the New Freedom assortment Wilson assured momentous modifications for superior pecuniary opportunity for everybody...

• Woodrow Wilson

Selfishness: The Root of Evil in Humanity

Napoleon Hill, who was a famous author once stated, “Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” To achieve major feats, one must not be self centered which is one of the main conclusions that can be drawn...

• Good and Evil
• Selfishness

The Literary Themes in Crane's The Open Boat

The theme of humans vs nature is prominent in ‘The Open Boat’ where the four men on the boat represent mankind.This theme is demonstrated throughout the whole story where the men are continuously fighting to overcome nature’s obstacles by trying to make their way through...

• The Open Boat

The Open Boat: The Undertones of Naturalism and Imagery of Religion

Stephen Crane in “The Open Boat” uses naturalistic fiction to portray how people’s humanity is affected in dire situations. The story is told from a third person omniscient view. The narrator tells a story about four men with different backgrounds and professions on a capsizing...

Effects of War on Humanity as Depicted in Various Pieces of Literature

Abstract This paper explores a number of texts that support the idea of what the effects of war on humanity are, for example, an article by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Those effects include the changing of morals, the displacement of people, the mental illnesses...

Gattaca: What Does it Mean to Be a Human

New Zealand writer, producer and director Andrew Niccol is amazing! His first film, Gattaca, written and directed in 1997, was a work of genius. Story description of gene determinism of biological science and technology by leaps and bounds after the order for the future of...

What Humans Can Do to Save the Endangered Species

Plants and animals are a natural part of people’s everyday lives, but many humans are slowly killing every species on the planet, if something does not change fifty percent or more of endangered species could be gone by the end of the century (Hosansky 1)....

• Endangered Species

Exploring the Value of Human Life

The value of a human life is different for many people. For me, I believe that every human life is worth something, whether you think it is a certain amount of money or just being able to live how you want to. Depending on how...

Combatting Juvenile Delinquency with Lifelong Humanity Values

Abstract To combat juvenile delinquency, we must look at the people who are deeply affected by it the worst. The reasons why juvenile delinquency occurs in high-income areas are different from the reasons why juvenile delinquency occurs in low-income areas. The ways family, police and...

• Juvenile Delinquency

"All Quiet On The Western Front": Depicting Humanity'S Horrors

Author Erich Maria Remarque wrote the novel “All Quiet on the Western Front” depicting a true war story. In which the main purpose of the book is to highlighting the events and how it impacts the people involved. Contrasting from other books that dealt with...

• All Quiet on The Western Front

Legal Executions and the Humanity of Capital Punishment

The meaning of Capital Punishment can be infered as multiple ideologies; however, the legal definition implies that an individual who commits a serious enough crime is liable to the death penalty. When an individual commits a serious enough crime they will be held under the...

• Capital Punishment

Hagerty's and Wells' Stances on Social Conflict Relations

H. G. Wells once said, “If we don't end war, war will end us.” This feels scary and sad to hear because it is very realistic. The human race is becoming more intelligent every day and with the advance technology currently available, people are manufacturing...

• Philosophy of Life
• Social Conflicts

The Good and Evil in the Realm of Self-Discovery

15th March 2019. This date represents one of the most horrific travesties to have befallen humanity in the contemporary world. The Christchurch Massacre, as it has since been termed, was characterized by inhumanity, stemming from pure evil. Innocent lives were destroyed, relationships were disintegrated, and...

Slaughterhouse-Five: The Obscenity of Humanity

As a soldier in World War II, the author Kurt Vonnegut experienced the bombing of Dresden, Germany, in 1945, while being held in that city as a POW. This one experience seemed to affect Vonnegut significantly during his entire life, as he would return to...

• Kurt Vonnegut
• Slaughterhouse Five

Zaroff's Loss of Morality and Humanity in Connell's The Most Dangerous Game

In Richard Connell’s short story “The Most Dangerous Game”, a sophisticated, expert hunter, Zaroff, has grown bored with traditional hunting. Instead hunts humans on his private island for a more challenging game. The story revolves around another expert hunter named Rainsford who fell of his...

• The Most Dangerous Game

Extinction of Peace and Constant Presence of Conflict

Peace and conflict have always been joined at the hip since the beginning of mankind. The first peaceful era of human beings can be traced to Adam and Eve, and their stay at the garden of Eden. However, peace cannot go on unchecked for long....

Humanity's Role in The Issue of Global Warming

Every day, somewhere in the world a mother gives birth to an infant, whom she promises to always be there to keep safe. Although people try their best to do what they can in order for their loved one to have a better future, but...

• Environmental Issues
• Global Warming

Review of Reasons and Causes of Human Lying

Why Do We Lie? Human dishonesty is a concept that has received widespread attention over the past decade. The engagement in lying and cheating are common and considered to be a part of humanity. It is always going to be part of human nature because...

The Alarming Role of Humanity in Animal Cruelty

Animals have always been used as subjects for testing and research. The cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and clothing industries for years have exploited innocent animals for company benefit. It is not ethically or morally correct because they are living breathing creatures. Although, some companies have banned testing,...

• Animal Cruelty
• Social Problems

Fahrenheit 451: How Technology Replaced Humanity

As years pass by, scientists work tirelessly to make more advanced technology to make everyone's lives more comfortable and automated. In society, this is seen as a gift, since it allows the world to work less for the things wanted, but nothing can be perfect....

• Fahrenheit 451
• Ray Bradbury

Philanthropy In The United States

Integral to the historical backdrop of altruism in the United States is a dream of human connecting with each other. As Ellen Condliffe Lagemann has composed, American altruism speaks to a long history of efforts to build up the qualities, shape the ideology, as well...

• Philanthropy

Examining the Different Interpretations of 'The Image of God'

Humanity is created in the image of God. This has different meanings in different parts of the world. Where do those meanings compare and contrast? How do those different meanings alter the effect of sin on this humanity that is created in the image of...

• Image of God

Atheism: The Foil to Religion?

Religion has existed as long as humanity. It plays an influential role in our social ways of life and shaping our cultural views. However, times keep changing and the long-established belief in religion is slowly losing relevance as people seek alternatives. Atheism has emerged as...

Causes And Effects Of Terrorism

Terrorism has developed into a global wonder though it is not a new occurrence but is as old as civilization. Terrorism has been alive with the foundation of advancement in several forms and in diverse areas. Factors Responsible for Origin of Terrorism There are numerous...

• War on Terror

Characteristics Of Blandm-1 Gene And How It Affects Human Health

Introduction For the past decades, the presence of carbapenem- resistance Entrerobacteriaceae has affected different nations across the globe negatively. According by ( ) the carbapenem- resistance Entrerobacteriaceae (CRC) cause different type of infections that their treatment is not easy. The CRC produce an enzyme, carbapenamase,...

Creating Ancestor Simulations: Can It Happen In Future?

One day, humans as we probably know ourselves will cease to exist. Regardless of whether we will end up completely wiped out with no evolutionary descendants, or leave one or more post-human species as our inheritance, we humans will inevitably be gone. Be that as...

• Impact of Technology

Difference Between Human And The Robot

With the development of science and technology, robots are already ubiquitous in our lives. The relationship between human and robot is getting closer. Maybe robots are getting better and more like human. But as we all know, in many ways like use function and emotions,...

Racism - The Problem With A Growing Tendency

We see racism as a problem in the past, but racism is still very present in our lives today. More than that, racial issues have a growing tendency. Derrick Bell, author of Faces At The Bottom Of The Well, describes that American racism is permanent....

• Race and Sexuality

Relationship Between Religion And Humanity

The novel proposes that while humans have empathy for all living things, androids, being purely logical entities, can only simulate empathy. “Empathy is the important principle of a Mercerism, the newly established theology/religion created by technological production to which all surviving humans belong and the...

Social Media As A Tool For Modern Activism And Protest

People all over the world are receiving notifications from just about everything. Sports, music, famous celebs on the internet, etc. But people also receive news from social media, things like taxes, politics natural disasters, crimes, and now especially modern-day activism. People will rant about what...

• Social Media

The Influence Of Manipulation Of The Algorithms On People

Algorithm is defined as a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer. However, Franklin Foer describes it as “a system, a human artifact, not a mathematical truism” in his article “Mark Zuckerberg’s War on...

• Digital Era

The Need To Promote Human Rights

Human rights for everyone is a necessary foundation upon which all of us may build a world where everybody may live in peace and serenity and plenty.” This quotation of Michael Douglas, a humanitarian, sums up the need to promote human rights. Human rights are...

• Modern Society

Phenomenon of Mankind: What Separates Human from Other Living Species

Question "What is a human?" only contains four words. However, within those four words, is a concept so central to how we define our experience on this planet. It is at the heart of some of the oldest philosophical, anthropological, and religious debates in recorded...

• Personal Philosophy

What Makes Human And Animals Different

There is no doubt that humans rule the world, but it wasn’t always like this. A long time ago our species was just as equal as any other species on Earth. In America, humans are almost always separated from animals, excluding our pets. However, at...

Should Celebrities Be the Voice of Humanitarian Causes

Norman Borlaug, a man credited with saving over a billion people from starvation, once said “The destiny of world civilization depends upon providing a decent standard of living for all mankind.” This quote means that the ultimate goal of society is for all people to...

Best topics on Humanity

1. The Death Sentence Debate: Balancing Justice, Ethics, and Humanity

2. An Essential Part to Contribute the Development of Bravery

3. Definition Of Humanity: What Makes Us Human

4. Why War and Leader Pride Will Become the End of Humanity

5. Search for Peace in the Just War Theory

6. The Inherent Good and Evil of Humanity in The Breadwinner

7. Nature in Connection to Humanity in Robert Frost’s’ Work

8. A Loss of Humanity under the Control of Force in Trojan Women, War and the Iliad, and Survival in Auschwitz

9. The Interferences and Humanity Freedom of Woodrow Wilson’s Campaign

10. Selfishness: The Root of Evil in Humanity

11. The Literary Themes in Crane’s The Open Boat

12. The Open Boat: The Undertones of Naturalism and Imagery of Religion

13. Effects of War on Humanity as Depicted in Various Pieces of Literature

14. Gattaca: What Does it Mean to Be a Human

15. What Humans Can Do to Save the Endangered Species

• Career Goals
• Personal Experience
• Personality
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Definition Essay

How to write a definition essay.

A definition essay can be deceivingly difficult to write. This type of paper requires you to write a personal yet academic definition of one specific word. The definition must be thorough and lengthy. It is essential that you choose a word that will give you plenty to write about, and there are a few standard tactics you can use to elaborate on the term. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when writing a definition essay.

Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Right Word

1: choose an abstract word with a complex meaning. [1].

A simple word that refers to a concrete word will not give you much to write about, but a complex word that refers to an abstract concept provides more material to explore.

• Typically, nouns that refer to a person, place, or thing are too simple for a definition essay. Nouns that refer to an idea work better, however, as do most adjectives.
• For example, the word “house” is fairly simple and an essay written around it may be dull. By switching to something slightly more abstract like “home,” however, you can play around with the definition more. A “home” is a concept, and there are many elements involved in the creation of a “home.” In comparison, a “house” is merely a structure.

2: Make sure that the word is disputable.

Aside from being complex, the word should also refer to something that can mean different things to different people.

• A definition essay is somewhat subjective by nature since it requires you to analyze and define a word from your own perspective. If the answer you come up with after analyzing a word is the same answer anyone else would come up with, your essay may appear to lack depth.

3: Choose a word you have some familiarity with.

Dictionary definitions can only tell you so much. Since you need to elaborate on the word you choose to define, you will need to have your own base of knowledge or experience with the concept you choose.

• For instance, if you have never heard the term “pedantic,” your understanding of the word will be limited. You can introduce yourself to the word for your essay, but without previous understanding of the concept, you will not know if the definition you describe is truly fitting.

4: Read the dictionary definition.

While you will not be relying completely on the dictionary definition for your essay, familiarizing yourself with the official definition will allow you to compare your own understanding of the concept with the simplest, most academic explanation of it.

• As an example, one definition of “friend” is “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” [2] Your own ideas or beliefs about what a “friend” really is likely include much more information, but this basic definition can present you with a good starting point in forming your own.

5:  Research the word’s origins.

Look up your chosen word in the Oxford English Dictionary or in another etymology dictionary. [3]

• These sources can tell you the history behind a word, which can provide further insight on a general definition as well as information about how a word came to mean what it means today.

Part 2 of 3: Potential Elements of an Effective Definition

1: write an analysis. [4].

Separate a word into various parts. Analyze and define each part in its own paragraph.

• You can separate “return” into “re-” and “turn.” The word “friendship” can be separated into “friend” and “ship.”
• In order to analyze each portion of a word, you will still need to use additional defining tactics like negation and classification.
• Note that this tactic only works for words that contain multiple parts. The word “love,” for instance, cannot be broken down any further. If defining “platonic love,” though, you could define both “platonic” and “love” separately within your essay.

2:  Classify the term.

Specify what classes and parts of speech a word belongs to according to a standard dictionary definition.

• While this information is very basic and dry, it can provide helpful context about the way that a given word is used.

3: Compare an unfamiliar term to something familiar.

An unfamiliar or uncommon concept can be explained using concepts that are more accessible to the average person.

• Many people have never heard of the term “confrere,” for instance. One basic definition is “a fellow member of a profession, fraternity, etc.” As such, you could compare “confrere” with “colleague,” which is a similar yet more familiar concept. [5]

4:  Provide traditional details about the term.

Explain any physical characteristics or traditional thoughts used to describe your term of choice.

• The term “home” is often visualized physically as a house or apartment. In more abstract terms, “home” is traditionally thought to be a warm, cozy, and safe environment. You can include all of these features in a definition essay on “home.”

5: Use examples to illustrate the meaning.

People often relate to stories and vivid images, so using a fitting story or image that relates to the term can be used in clarifying an abstract, formless concept.

• In a definition essay about “kindness,” for example, you could write about an act of kindness you recently witnessed. Someone who mows the lawn of an elderly neighbor is a valid example, just as someone who gave you an encouraging word when you were feeling down might be.

6: Use negation to explain what the term does not mean.

If a term is often misused or misunderstood, mentioning what it is not is an effective way to bring the concept into focus.

• A common example would be the term “courage.” The term is often associated with a lack of fear, but many will argue that “courage” is more accurately described as acting in spite of fear.

7: Provide background information.

This is when your research about the etymology of a word will come in handy. Explain where the term originated and how it came to mean what it currently means.

Part 3 of 3: Definition Essay Structure

1: introduce the standard definition..

You need to clearly state what your word is along with its traditional or dictionary definition in your introductory paragraph.

• By opening with the dictionary definition of your term, you create context and a basic level of knowledge about the word. This will allow you to introduce and elaborate on your own definition.
• This is especially significant when the traditional definition of your term varies from your own definition in notable ways.

2: Define the term in your own words in your thesis.

Your actual thesis statement should define the term in your own words.

• Keep the definition in your thesis brief and basic. You will elaborate on it more in the body of your paper.
• Avoid using passive phrases involving the word “is” when defining your term. The phrases “is where” and “is when” are especially clunky. [6]
• Do not repeat part of the defined term in your definition.

3:  Separate different parts of the definition into separate paragraphs.

Each tactic or method used to define your term should be explored in a separate paragraph.

• Note that you do not need to use all the possible methods of defining a term in your essay. You should use a variety of different methods in order to create a full, well-rounded picture of the term, but some tactics will work great with some terms but not with others.

4: Conclude with a summary of your main points.

Briefly summarize your main points around the start of your concluding paragraph.

• This summary does not need to be elaborate. Usually, looking at the topic sentence of each body paragraph is a good way to form a simple list of your main points.
• You can also draw the essay to a close by referring to phrases or images evoked in your introduction.

5: Mention how the definition has affected you, if desired.

If the term you define plays a part in your own life and experiences, your final concluding remarks are a good place to briefly mention the role it plays.

• Relate your experience with the term to the definition you created for it in your thesis. Avoid sharing experiences that relate to the term but contradict everything you wrote in your essay.

Sources and Citations

• http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Definition.html
• http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/friend?s=t
• http://www.etymonline.com/
• http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/definition.html
• http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/confrere?s=t
• http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/definition.htm
• How to Write a Definition Essay. Provided by : WikiHow. Located at : http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Definition-Essay . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of humanity in English

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

humanity noun ( PEOPLE )

• Bombing civilians is a crime against humanity .
• The environmental impact of these policies affects all of humanity.
• The general has been charged with crimes against humanity.
• The city is a huge , seething mass of humanity.
• You can't claim to speak for the whole of humanity!
• fellow man/men
• person of interest

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

humanity noun ( KINDNESS )

• altruistically
• anti-materialism
• anti-materialist
• beneficence
• eleemosynary
• munificence
• munificently
• open-handed
• open-handedly
• super-sweet
• unsparingly

humanity noun ( BEING HUMAN )

• adverse conditions
• good/bad karma idiom
• have it in you idiom
• presentation
• unaffiliated
• undercurrent

humanity noun ( SUBJECTS )

Humanity | american dictionary, humanity noun [u] ( people ), humanity noun [u] ( kindness ), examples of humanity, collocations with humanity.

These are words often used in combination with humanity .

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

Translations of humanity

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

(usually of large numbers of people during a violent event) to steal from shops and houses

Cooking or hitting the books? (Idioms with ‘book’)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• humanity (PEOPLE)
• humanity (KINDNESS)
• humanity (BEING HUMAN)
• humanity (SUBJECTS)
• (the) humanities
• Collocations
• Translations
• All translations

To add humanity to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add humanity to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Friday essay: reflections on the idea of a common humanity

Professorial Fellow, Faculty of Arts and the Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne

Disclosure statement

Raimond Gaita does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

It is striking how often people now speak of “a common humanity” in ethically inflected registers, or ethically resonant tones that express a fellowship of all the peoples of the earth, or sometimes the hope for such a fellowship.

It is also striking how often we speak of our humanity as something that is not given to us once and for all, as species membership is, but something towards which we are called upon to rise – not until such time as we achieve it, which could be different from one person to another – but unendingly, until we die.

The two seem interdependent: to recognise the humanity of others we must rise to the humanity in ourselves, but to do that we must at least be open to seeing fully the humanity of all people.

In a similar way, the acknowledgement of human rights – rights that all people are said to possess merely by virtue of being human – appears to be interdependent with the acknowledgement of a common humanity with them.

The same is true for the recognition of the “Dignity of Humanity” to which, we are told in preambles to important instruments of international law, an unconditional respect is owed, as it exists, inalienably, in every human being.

More often than not, we refer to the idea of a common humanity when we lament the failure of its acknowledgement. The forms of that failure are depressingly many: racism, sexism, homophobia, the dehumanisation of our enemies, of unrepentant criminals and those who suffer severe and degrading affliction.

As often as someone reminds us that “we are all human beings”, someone will reply that to be treated like a human being you must behave like one.

There are two kinds of explanations for this. Each has its place. One assumes that we retain a firm hold on the idea that all peoples of the earth share a common humanity, but for various psychological, social, moral and political reasons fail to live up to our acknowledgement of it.

The other suggests that the very idea of a common humanity waxes and wanes with us and at times – when we dehumanise our enemies or are vulnerable to racism, for example – becomes literally unintelligible to us.

Racism is again on the rise in many parts of the world. So is the dehumanisation – in some cases demonisation – of our enemies. They have come together in attitudes to ISIS and have spread to Muslims and some immigrants as effortlessly as water flowing downwards in a channel.

For that reason, many people now fear that within ten years or so, national and international politics will be dominated by crises that are caused and inflamed by the shameful gap between the rich and the poor nations, aggravated by the effects of climate change.

We now have reason to believe that instability in many regions of the earth may cause even more people to be uprooted than were last century. Strong nations are likely to protect themselves in ways that become increasingly brutal, testing the relevance and the authority of international law.

It is, I believe, almost certain that my grandchildren’s generation will not be protected as mine has been from the terrors suffered by most of the peoples of the earth, because of impoverishment, natural disasters and the evils inflicted upon them by other human beings.

More and more, I fear, the reality of affliction together with unrelenting exposure to what is morally horrible – to evil if you have use for that word – will test their understanding of what it means to share a common humanity with all the peoples of the earth, and to a degree almost to awful to imagine, their faith that the world is a good world despite the suffering and the evil in it.

Inherent dignity and inalienable rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, stated in its preamble that

the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

It also spoke of crimes that had recently “shocked the conscience of mankind”.

Two years earlier, the UN’s Resolution on Genocide declared genocide to be a “shock to the conscience of mankind … contrary to moral law and to the spirit and aims of the United Nations” and a crime “which the civilized world condemns”.

Yet at the time those words were written, the peoples of the European nations who drafted them and created international law looked upon most of the peoples of the earth as primitive savages who, of their very nature, lacked the kind of understanding presupposed in what is meant by speaking of genocide as “a shock to the conscience of mankind” - even though some of them had been victims of colonial genocides.

Racism of that kind was then, and is now, often marked by incapacity to see depth in the lives of Blacks, Asians and Central and South Americans. Some other forms of racism are different. Anti-Semitism is different in many ways from the racism of whites towards coloured peoples. I do not know enough about racism of coloured peoples to one another and towards whites to comment on it.

At issue in the kind of racism I will be talking about is not the truth of the factual stereotypes to which racists often appeal in order defend their attitudes, but rather the meaning they are able to see – or fail to see – in the lives of the peoples they denigrate.

When James Isdell, Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia in the 1930s, was asked how he felt when he took children of mixed blood from their mothers , he answered that he

would not hesitate for a moment to separate any half caste from its aboriginal mother, no matter how frantic her momentary grief might be at the time.

They “soon forget their offspring”, he explained. It was literally unintelligible to him that “they” could grieve as “we” do, that grief for a dead child could lacerate a black woman’s soul for the remainder of her life.

To get the hang of what I mean by “unintelligible”, think of why one couldn’t cast someone who looked like a racist caricature from a Black and White Minstrel Show, to play Othello. Such a face can express nothing deep. Not even an omniscient God could see in it the expressiveness needed for such a role.

It’s hardly disputable that expressions like “failing full to see the humanity of peoples” come naturally in discussions of racism of the kind betrayed by Isdell’s remark.

So when I speak of a common humanity of all the peoples of the earth I mean, at least in the first instance, that there are no peoples who are as Isdell saw Aboriginal Australians. Given my earlier remarks about the colonial context in which the Universal Declaration of Human rights emerged, and the resurgence of racism world wide, the importance of such an affirmation cannot be overstated.

In making it, however, I do not want to suggest that I understand what it is to be fully human, that I and others who make the same affirmation discovered it and wish to impose that discovery to formerly denigrated peoples.

But when I say we have not discovered it, that we do not know what full humanity is, I don’t mean that we might one day. There is no such thing to discover.

Earlier, I said that we sometimes speak of humanity as something towards which we are called upon to rise, that it is task with no end, and would have no end even if we lived a thousand years. That is the idea of humanity that informs what I have been saying about this topic. Reviewing my book A Common Humanity: Thinking about Love and Truth and Justice (1999), Greg Dening said that “for Gaita, humanity is a verb, not a noun”. I couldn’t have put it better.

What it means to be human

It is, I think, uncontroversial that Australia’s Aboriginal peoples think differently about what it means to be human than non-aboriginal Australians do – a difference expressed, not discursively, but as the great Australian anthropologist WH Stanner put it, in

all the beauty of song, mime, dance and art of which human beings are capable.

The difference can be described most generally as being in their attitude to the natural world and their place in it. That is vague, of course, but it is enough to sustain the point that the difference has inevitably shown itself politically in, for example, disputes and court rulings about land and title and in the many, sometimes angry, arguments about what counts truly (practically) as reconciliation as opposed to merely symbolic gestures towards it.

Perhaps the most bitter disagreements were over whether genocide was at least sometimes, in some parts of Australia, committed against the Stolen Generations, as the 1997 Bringing Them Home report alleges.

I want to comment on this, though not in order to set new fires burning. Genocide is perhaps one of the most controversial concepts of international law. There is disagreement over whether it entails murder and over whether the Holocaust should be regarded as its paradigm or only as an extreme instance of a crime that, at its other extreme, might be forced assimilation.

Bringing Them Home consists largely of heartbreaking stories. The argument that genocide was committed is brief and depends on its definition. The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and punishment of the Crime of Genocide allows that there may be genocide without a single killing in service to a genocidal intent and that taking the children of a group may be a means to genocide, if it is done with the intention to destroy, “in whole or in part, the group as such”.

Stories, I have argued elsewhere, cannot of themselves tell us whether that allegation is right. Stories, no matter how many and how moving, cannot settle the controversies about the nature of genocide.

In the West, where the concept was developed, stories or narratives like Primo Levi’s If This Is a Man (1979) which played such an important role in our understanding of the Holocaust, speak to us only against the background of a common understanding. It is the work of discursive thought, usually in disciplines like anthropology, philosophy and history to try to render it reasonably perspicuous. But I must enter two important qualifications to that point.

Firstly, the kind of thought that engages with the stories should be answerable to the same critical concepts that determine the degree to which the stories contribute to understanding, rather than to edification or to delight. Those concepts are, of course, partly those with which we assess literature.

About virtually everything that matters in life, including matters of law, we argue not only about facts and the logical inferences made from them, but also about whether certain accounts of them move us only because we are vulnerable to sentimentality, or pathos, are deaf to what rings false, and so on.

For that reason, there can be no marked distinction between the concepts with which we critically assess narratives and those to which discursive engagement with them is answerable.

Bringing Them Home was criticised for being emotional. Hostile to its allegation of genocide, many Australians said that it convinced only people whose reason had given way to their emotions. Kim Beazley, some of you may remember, wept in Parliament when he read out some of those stories.

It is, of course, a failing – sometimes a very serious one – to be “emotional” in the pejorative sense of the term. Then we ignore or deny facts and arguments that are not congenial to beliefs to which we are emotionally committed. That is usually what people have in mind when they say “stop being so emotional”. Hold on to your reason, they say, especially in turbulent times like ours – like advising someone to hold onto to their hat in a storm.

But there is a danger here that threatens our capacity, indeed our desire, to see things. It is the tendency to oppose reason to emotion in a way that makes us insensible to, or uneducated in, a form of understanding in which thought and feeling and form and content are inseparable.

Sentimentality, a disposition to pathos, a failure to register what rings true, a tin ear for irony – these undermine understanding more often and surely than when emotion usurps reason, if reason is conceived as separate from and unfriendly to emotion.

When that happens it is not because emotion defeated reason that we affirm beliefs that we regret holding and having acted upon when we become morally clear sighted. It is because we were bereft of a sensibility, educated and disciplined, that would have enabled us to detect the sometimes crude, sometimes sophisticated, sentimentality, pathos and so on in what seduced us.

I come now to my second qualification. There is no shared understand between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal Australians about what it means to be human, and therefore, I think, no shared understanding of what we would naturally call crimes against humanity – if the concept of humanity plays any serious role in the ethical characterisation of such crimes.

Aboriginal peoples have no power of the kind that could force anything on non-Indigenous peoples, no power to force them to negotiate a treaty, for example.

Awful though it must be to peoples treated as they have been by their colonisers and their descendants, whatever further justice they are given will be a function of the openness of non-aboriginal Australians to seeing that justice must be done and, most importantly, seeing what that comes to if it is true to the history of this land.

For that to happen, non-aboriginal peoples must come to see what is at issue from the perspective of the Aboriginal peoples. That requires more than we usually mean by empathy, because it depends on acquiring new concepts or modifying old ones – concepts that are a condition of empathy, rather than its product.

For most non aboriginal Australians, that will involve a perceptual gestalt switch of the kind, which, for example, would enable them fully to acknowledge that this land is under occupation, if not legally as defined in international law, but morally, nonetheless.

If you think that is an exaggeration, a step way too far, then listen to Pat Dodson.

While the 1788 invasion was unjust, the real injustice was the denial by [Governor] Phillip and subsequent governments, of our right to participate equally in the future of a land we had managed successfully for millenniums. Instead, the land was stolen, not shared. Our political sovereignty was replaced by a virulent form of serfdom; our spiritual beliefs denied and ridiculed; our system of education undermined. We were no longer able to inculcate our young with the complex knowledge that is acquired from intimate engagement with the land and its waterways. The introduction of superior weapons, alien diseases, a policy of racism and enforced biogenetic practices created dispossession, a cycle of slavery and attempted destruction of our society. The 1997 report Bringing Them Home highlighted the infringement of the UN definition of genocide and called for a national apology and compensation of those Aborigines who had suffered under laws that destroyed indigenous societies and sanctioned biogenetic modification of the Aboriginal people.

For many people, to see Australia like that, really to see it like that, will at first be like seeing one aspect and then the other of an ambiguous drawing.

Crimes and lacerated souls

There is, of course, much more to understanding Aboriginal cultures than seeing the impact on them of the crimes committed against the Aboriginal peoples. But if we are to talk seriously about a treaty then we cannot avoid talking about crimes.

Understanding the crimes committed against the indigenous peoples of this country depends on an ethical understanding of what they suffered. Understanding of that can never be too distant from their stories and other forms of art that express that suffering.

If that is so, then it is obvious that, for the most part, Aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples of this country do not have a shared understanding of that suffering and, therefore, of how it should enter the ethical characterisation of the crimes against them.

The development of such understanding will be unnerving, radical and almost certainly novel to the classical traditions of Western political thought.

When people’s souls have been lacerated by the wrongs done to them, individually or collectively, openness to their voices requires humbled attentiveness. Such attentiveness is growing in Australia, I believe: slowly, by no means surely, but growing nonetheless

Philosopher Martin Buber said that the basic difference between monologues and “fully valid conversation” is “the otherness, or more concretely, the moment of surprise”. His point is not merely that we must be open to hearing surprising things.

We must be open to being surprised at the many ways we may justly and humanly relate to one another in a spirit of truthful dialogue. It is in conversation, rather than in advance of it, that we discover, never alone but always together, what it means really to listen and what tone may properly be taken. In conversation we discover the many things conversation can be.

No one can say what will happen when, through such conversations, we understand better how Aboriginal peoples have experienced – in the past and now – the crimes committed against them and, therefore, how that understanding should inform the ways that Aboriginal and non aboriginal peoples will be able to say “we”, truthfully and justly, in political fellowship.

It might not be “we Australians”. We might change the name of the country. Maybe not, but I cannot see how one can respond with truth-seeking humility to Dodson’s words and at the same time rule that out.

An act of faith

As things stand, the preambles to some of the most important instruments of international law that I mentioned earlier deploy Eurocentric concepts to express the ethical significance of those laws, to reveal what it means ethically to break them. The Dignity of Humanity and the inalienable dignity of every human being are amongst those concepts.

Elsewhere, I have expressed deep reservations about the way we speak of human rights and Human Dignity with a capital D (the capital D is necessary because the issue is not the alienable dignity people fear to lose as a result of injury, or enfeeblement in old age).

Like French philosopher Simone Weil , I fear that the way we now speak about human rights rests on an illusion. The illusion is that no matter how unrelentingly savage or cruel our oppressors, we can retain a Dignity that they cannot touch.

Some people suffer affliction so terrible, either through natural causes or because of human cruelty, affliction that crushes their spirits so completely, that the heroic key in which we talk about Dignity and inalienable human rights sounds like whistling in the dark.

But I have also said that the battles for what we call “human rights” and for the acceptance that all the peoples of the earth share an inalienable Dignity that defines their common humanity have been amongst the noblest in Western history. God only knows where we would have been had we not fought and won so many of them.

Talk of inalienable dignity is often an attempt to capture the shock of encountering the violation of something precious, a kind of wrong that cannot fully be captured by reference to the physical or psychological harm that is part of, sometimes integral, to it.

In much of my work, I have developed the implications of the fact, wonderful but also commonplace, that sometimes we see something as precious only in the light of someone’s love for it.

Our sense of the kind of preciousness that we feel is violated when we speak of a person’s inalienable dignity was historically shaped, I believe, by the works of saintly love. They were the inspiration, I believe, for what we mean when we say that even people who have committed the most terrible crimes and those who suffer severe and ineradicable affliction possess inalienable dignity.

Kant, to whom we owe the modern heroic inflections attached to those ways of speaking, was right to say that we have obligations to those we cannot love and may even despise.

He was right. But it was the works of saintly love, I believe, that transformed our understanding of what it means to be human and in fact are the source of the affirmation that we owe unconditional respect to the inalienable dignity possessed by every human being.

One doesn’t have to be religious – I am not – to acknowledge that. Doing so will enable us to talk of the inalienable dignity of every human being without falling victim to the illusion that its heroic resonances encourage.

I spoke earlier of my fears for the world my grandchildren will grow into.

I dread the prospect of a world in which my grandchildren could no longer affirm – for it is an affirmation, an act of faith to be true to what love has revealed but reason cannot secure – that even the most terrible evildoers, those whose characters appear to match their deeds, who are defiantly unremorseful and in whom we can find nothing from which remorse could grow – are owed an unconditional respect, are always and everywhere owed justice, for their sake, rather than because we fear the consequences if we do not accord it to them.

I dread the prospect of a world in which we no longer even it find intelligible that those who suffer radical, degrading and ineradicable affliction could be accorded a respect that is without trace of condescension, and thereby kept fully amongst us, mysteriously our equals.

This is an edited version of a lecture Raimond Gaita gave on Wednesday August 10 in the series The Wednesday Lectures, held at the University of Melbourne.

Professor Gaita will be available for an author Q&A on Friday 12 between 3.30 and 4.30pm AEST. Post your questions in the comments below.

• Reconciliation
• Stolen Generation
• Race relations
• Immanuel Kant
• Moral philosophy
• Friday essay
• Apology to the Stolen Generations

Editorial Internship

Manager, Enterprise Applications

Integrated Management of Invasive Pampas Grass for Enhanced Land Rehabilitation

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services)

Essay on Humanity

Introduction

What happens when you turn a blind eye towards a pleading person who requests you to give her some water? Would you just walk across a blind person who fell and is looking for his walking stick? These are mere instances that test who we really are. We proudly say that we are humans and that we are capable of doing many things. But have you thought about exactly the meaning of being a human? If not, this essay on humanity will teach you its essential aspects. There are other essays on different topics for kids to learn and enjoy on our website.

It is in human nature to show love, care, empathy, and compassion to people. When people are in distress, and we take an indifferent approach, despite having the means to help them, then we lack the quality of humanity in us. But, by treating others with respect and helping them in need, we will be able to display the attributes of humanity.

Importance of Humanity

To understand the importance of humanity, it is enough to think about what will happen to the world when people stop caring about each other and become self-centered. The quality of humanity resides in each of us, and it is our choices that either stop or develop the necessary emotions in us. Humanity does not aim for selfish needs, and it does not expect anything in return for the favour we do. The humanity essay focuses on this aspect – we do something simply because we are humans and are capable of helping others.

The lack of humanity causes many severe problems, which can be felt at different levels. If we look past the misery of people around us, be prepared to experience the same plight when we require help. Humanitarian needs are often selfless, where ‘I’ does not hold any power. More than for our benefit, we must engage in humane acts so that we can feel the joy and satisfaction that results from doing them. After all, it is the humane acts that we engage in that define us and not the laurels and awards we receive.

Frequently Asked Questions on Essay on Humanity

What are considered humane acts.

Humane acts involve showing love and compassion as well as helping people. By treating all people equally, regardless of their gender, class, colour or race, and showing our concern and gratitude, we can engage in humane acts.

Mention the names of the world’s greatest humanitarians.

If we read through history, we will come across many personalities who were recognised for their selfless humane acts. But they did not do them for recognition or fame, but because they genuinely felt doing so. Mother Teresa, Rabindranath Tagore and Nelson Mandela are some of the people who worked for humanity.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.