Exploring Humanity: The Joint Workshop on “What Makes Us Human?”

Date: 
Tue, 07/01/202513:50
Konstantz

 

From 9 to 12 December 2024, scholars from diverse disciplines gathered in Konstanz, Germany, for the first part of a two-part workshop series co-organised by the Martin Buber Society of Fellows in the Humanities and Social Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz. This interdisciplinary event sought to address the fundamental question, “What makes us human?” through the theme “The Nature of the Human Being.” The workshop will continue in spring 2025 in Jerusalem, focusing on “The Value of Humanity.”

Interdisciplinary Dialogues and Thought-Provoking Panels

The workshop commenced with working groups, where postdoctoral fellows from across the humanities and natural sciences engaged in collaborative discussions. The afternoon featured a “Jour Fixe,” with participants delivering pitch talks to present their research projects. This format encouraged dialogue across disciplinary boundaries, fostering intellectual exchange and collaboration.

The highlight of the first day was a public panel discussion, which brought together renowned experts from diverse fields: Aleida Assmann, a cultural historian (University of Konstanz); Meg Crofoot, a biologist specialising in animal behaviour (University of Konstanz / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior); and Nadia Mazouz, a philosopher (ETH Zurich). Moderated in the spirit of interdisciplinarity by Raz Chen-Morris, the director of the Martin Buber Society of Fellows, the panel explored pressing questions about human nature, evolution, and the impact of technological and societal changes. The discussion delved into whether humanity’s nature is fixed or ever-changing and how advancements in artificial intelligence and discoveries in non-human animal cognition challenge our understanding of what it means to be human.

Unique Perspectives on Humanity

The second day combined further working group sessions and an excursion to inspire informal intellectual exchanges. The evening featured a compelling Zoom lecture by the American psychologist and linguist Michael Tomasello (Duke University). His talk, titled “What Makes Humans Unique,” offered insights into the cognitive and social traits that set humans apart from other primates.

Diverse Working Group Themes

Three specialised working groups formed the heart of the workshop, each exploring humanity through distinct lenses:

1.      Humans & Primates
Coordinated by Benjamin Wilck (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), this group examined the evolutionary and biological uniqueness of humans. Beginning with ancient philosophical definitions, such as Plato’s “featherless biped,” the group traced these ideas to contemporary evolutionary biology. Discussions highlighted human traits like obligate bipedalism and considered whether ancient Greek philosophers anticipated modern biological insights.

2.      Humans & Rationality
Led by Ahmed El Hady (University of Konstanz), this group critically examined the long-standing idea of human rationality. Drawing on research in bounded rationality and neuroeconomics, the group investigated the cultural and evolutionary dimensions of rationality, questioning whether it is an innate human trait or shaped by external influences.

3.      Humans & Society
Coordinated by Jasmin Spiegel (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), this subgroup attracted different scholars of psychology, sociology, history, and anthropology that share the interest to work on contemporary conflicts and challenges of the human, such as pandemics, climate change, and armed conflicts. In the upcoming meeting we will further adress the paradox of vulnerability: ranging from lived experiences of vulnerable groups regarding identity, society, memory, and agency from a sociological and psychological perspective, over tracing vulnerability in early medieval legal classifications, to current rhetorics of vulnerability and health care.

Looking Ahead

This workshop exemplified the power of interdisciplinary dialogue in addressing complex and timeless questions about humanity. As the conversation continues in spring 2025 in Jerusalem, participants and the broader academic community eagerly anticipate further exploration of the value of humanity in our rapidly changing world.