On the Human (OTH) is an online community of humanists and scientists dedicated to improving our understanding of persons and the quasi-persons who surround us. As persons are biological, psychological, historical, moral, and autobiographical beings, we employ modes of inquiry from the sciences and humanities. Contributors explore issues in metaphysics and biology, ethics and neuroscience, experimental philosophy and evolutionary psychology.
Our mission is to deepen understanding of the meaning and significance, if any, of being human. Generally, OTH supports and disseminates scholarship on the philosophical implications of the new biosciences and technologies. Specifically, we employ new media strategies of public education in pursuit of two objectives:
- To stimulate humanities research on the philosophical and ethical implications of recent advances in bio- and information-technologies, especially as new scientific discoveries help to advance understanding of our evolutionary past and aid ethical evaluation of proposals to enhance future cognitive capacities;
- To engage the public in this scholarship through three innovative digital methods: 'Structured E-conversation,' 'OpenSeminar,' and 'E-Assignment.' OTH is developing structured e-conversations in our Forum and beta-testing e-assignments in the OpenSeminar on the Human.
