While thinking about subjects for future blog posts, I decided to ask both ChatGPT and CoPilot to list 25 thought-provoking questions about being human and the human condition. Both came up with many good questions. Of the combined 50 questions, 18 pairs were similar, 32 were unique. When I asked CoPilot to identify the differences between the lists it stated that “the main differences between the two lists are the specific questions they address. While both lists explore deep philosophical questions about human nature, identity, and experience, they do so from slightly different angles and with different emphases. For example, List 1 (ChatGPT) includes questions about the inherent goodness or evilness of human nature, the role of suffering, and the quest for knowledge and innovation. In contrast, List 2 (CoPilot) includes questions about the impact of technology, the nature of free will, and the importance of storytelling.” I have decided to answer the 25 questions I like best and answer 12 within this blog post, and 13 in next week’s blog post.
Keep in mind that the answers below are what I currently believe. As they say in Al-Anon, take what you like and leave the rest.
I’m not sure if it’s important which AI asked which questions, but I have included that information. Maybe it will help us see their differences and help us decide which one suits us better. Is one more human than the other? That sort of thing.
1.
What does it mean to be truly human? (ChatGPT)
What defines humanity? (CoPilot)
Although I can intuit what it means to be human, I have put off answering this question until I was almost done answering all the others in this blog post episode. Well, I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that we are conscious beings, meaning that we can see that we exist, and we have much input into how that existence will play out. In other words, we are not just running on instinct, and even if we are in some ways, we have a say in how that will look. Take for instance the parenting instinct of many animals, to care for and protect their young. That is something we humans do quite well, in most cases. We can decide on best routes, or even change routes, depending on circumstances and experience. I was recently reminded of this type of thing while reading a book about a time in World War 2 when parents in London sent their children abroad to ensure they were safe, far away from the city bombings that were occurring at the time. Sure, it seemed counterintuitive to send them away from their parent’s watchful eye, but it seemed the better course due to the circumstances.
I think that being able to see the bigger global picture is a huge part of being human. Although we might focus most of our existence on feeding and keeping our family safe, we can see the value in keeping our community functioning well, on the smaller local level, and on the larger global one. Gosh, we even have the mindset to explore the heavens so we can keep an eye on things at the cosmic level. If you think about it, we humans are quite heady, in a good way. Lots of smart people, with lots of wisdom, even if the news would have us believe that we are all doomed due to lust for power and greed, but I digress. 😊 I suppose there are many things I could add that I feel make us human, but I think what I have said sums it up pretty well.
2.
Is human nature inherently good or evil? (ChatGPT)
I don’t think that there is any doubt that people are born with a clean slate, so to speak, meaning that they are innocent upon arrival, and only time will tell how they turn out. It seems to me that humans are social in nature, meaning that they rely on each other for support and comfort, and I think that alone is an indicator that human nature is inherently good – caring for others. Granted, many things in life, right from the get-go, can alter how human nature appears, be it through tragedy, unkind upbringing, or even genetics, say with the development of mental illness. I personally don’t like the term evil, as it has connotations of “bad” being brought on by unseen forces, like the devil. I think that those things, or the people, we call evil, are just people who have truly lost their way and are choosing, or not choosing a better way, as it were. Likely because they have lost the ability to do so. It takes great effort to live well, and sometimes those who fall, just give up, or don’t care. The existence of these troubled souls is not proof of evil, it is proof of self determination or lack there of.
3.
How do our emotions define who we are? (ChatGPT)
How do our fears shape our actions? (CoPilot)
Fear is an emotion, so it will be included in the general discussion of how our emotions define us. Since our emotions direct how we feel, I believe that they have a direct correlation with who we are and what we become. I saw this firsthand as I watched my grandmother, who lived in fear, became, and continued to be for all intents and purposes a shut-in. Although she was not agoraphobic, she was very close to it. She was terrified of thunder, of expression, of taking part in anything but immediate family gatherings. She didn’t drive, she had no hobbies, although she would braid rugs with her old stockings when she had a supply of them. When Dad left us and Mom went to work, grandma was occasionally brought over to stay with me and my brothers when we were young, likely on those days when there was a school break, or something like that. She wasn’t horrid to be around, but she was no fun either. In many ways, she tried, unconsciously I believe, to instill her fears in us, and in some ways, she succeeded, because our family leaned that way, some of us more than others, and lived that way long after she passed on.
All our emotions define us in all manner of ways. If you are a glass half-full person, you are likely optimistic by nature and are probably happy most of the time. You likely enliven the lives of people you encounter, and people tend to want to be around you. The glass half-empty person, well, not so much.
Whether a glass half-full, or glass half-empty person, you probably have a mix of emotions that affect how you behave generally, and it is okay to be sad at times, it is okay to be afraid sometimes, and it is okay to be uncertain at times. However, it is the one with which you live mostly in that people will see you as. This is similar to something that I modeled and then taught to my daughter when she had children. I said that it is okay to have the occasional bad day, and that might even include a “fight” with the children, but if your typical, or most constant, behavior is one of kindness and patience, that is how they will remember you as, at the time of being raised, and after they leave the nest. What emotions you lay on them will define, or at least be part in defining, who they are or become.
4.
Why do humans seek meaning and purpose in life? (ChatGPT)
We are not provided with an operator’s manual when we are born, so once we begin to see, experience, and understand life in our limited ways we find ourselves questioning much of it. Who am I? Why was I born where I was? What is the point of all this? Of course, we are completely dependent on our mothers, fathers, and other care givers in our communities for years, and much of what they teach can be valuable, whereas much of what they teach is downright damaging. Think of dysfunction, or things such as dogma, and how those teachings only add to the confusion. Because we are thinking beings, I believe that it is only natural to question, especially when we do not find finite or definitive answers that make sense. That is when we begin to look for those answers ourselves. For some, it’s a natural drive, one that moves them forward. They might feel that if they can find their purpose, then maybe life will be easier to live. On a personal level, so much of my life has been an attempt to find the answers to the big questions, which often brought up only more questions. To answer the question more specifically, I’d say people seek meaning and purpose to make sense of life. I don’t think anyone can live and move forward, without some questions arising.
Photo Intermission.

Grand Trunk Bridge at Diefenbaker Park (July 31, 2024) – Photo by Don Cheke
5.
What role does suffering play in shaping human experience? (ChatGPT)
How do we find meaning in suffering? (CoPilot)
“Meanwhile we suffer, oh how we suffer!” This is a line from Yenta the matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof. I thought it was very appropriate here. Denise and I often quote dear Yenta, when life deals us those struggles.
They say that it is in our suffering that we learn the lessons that define wisdom, or something like that. I tend to agree that suffering, or hardship, or struggles, provide the opportunity for us to grow, to find ways to work through things and come out the other side a better person because of it. In Al-Anon, one often hears something similar, that those struggles provide an opportunity for us to use the tools we have been learning about, as opposed to resorting to old behaviors that seemed to save us from struggles, but only really masked them, if only in the abstract. Sure, staying in bed and burying our head under the pillow means we don’t have to deal with the active alcoholic in our home, but doing so does no favors for our self-esteem and our ability to thrive. It actually robs us of that, and life continues to spiral into the abyss. Sure, a lot less struggling would be great, but without the struggles, our joys would mean less; certainly, they would be less potent. Or so they say. 😊
6.
Is free will an illusion or a fundamental part of humanity? (ChatGPT)
What is the nature of free will? (CoPilot)
Although people like me, who live in the “free world” believe that we are free to chose and do anything we like, the wise ones know that freedom comes with a cost, a responsibility if you will. It’s really quite simple, one’s freedom cannot be at the cost of another’s freedom. For instance, you can become a political leader, but it should never be driven by ego and the desire for power, it should never leave a wake of destruction behind you. My desire to listen to loud music in my apartment should not be at the cost of other tenets’ peaceful existence in neighboring suites. It’s just common sense!
Although the above is an important part of freedom, I think the AI questions were more directed toward the idea of life being driven by free will or fate. Although there are many things that are basic to being human, and so somewhat directed by fate, such as we all live, and we all die, I do believe we get to choose how those things look. For some this is easier, depending where you are born, and again, depending on what type of person you are, or strive to be. If you are a born in a poverty-stricken war zone type of place, do you just simply reflect that in your overview of life, or lack thereof? Or do you see the injustices and fight for something different? Just the night before writing this I was at a place in the book I was reading about World War 2, where some orphans were sent to Australia to live at an orphanage managed by a group of horrid nuns. The main character in this part of the book, a young boy, upon arrival, saw the injustices right away, and understands that this is not a place for him and will take steps to get away as soon as possible. I am curious to see how he will do this. It was also while reading the night before that I realized how all my answers in this blog post are coming, for the most part, from living a life of privilege. No, I’m not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but I live in one of the freest countries, in a beautiful city. I have never really known hunger, and I have never experienced war on a personal level. As they say, it’s easy to be holy when you are sitting on top of the mountain. Still, I have known suffering, and I am wise enough to imagine what the lives of others, not so lucky, might feel like, and how much desire and energy it must take to overcome such adversity. Based on the number of immigrants that flock here, I think that there are a lot of people who do just that; get over their adversities and find a way to a better place.
7.
How do culture and society shape individual identity? (ChatGPT)
How does culture influence our identity? (CoPilot)
These questions are not really any different that the ones about how our emotions define who we are. To learn, we often mimic what we see, so if the culture of the place one lives is benevolent and loving, then that is, hopefully, what one aspires to, and becomes. People are easily swayed by what they see, and the behaviors around them. Think about mob psychology and how quickly things can take a turn for the worse, when one loses themselves in bad mob behaviour. On a much tamer, non-mob level, I am reminded of a time when I met a fellow and spent time with him at his work. He worked in the entertainment world as an agent. He was a bit older than me and from a time when people put creases in their pants, even blue jeans. I thought that looked cool, so I started to do the same thing, along with taking to wearing a sports coat. People probably though we looked like clones, if they knew of such things. I remember thinking years later, how ridiculous I must have looked, but hey, I was young, and I was trying to define myself. Eventually, through growth, one defines themselves based on one own journey, and hopefully that reflects the good parts of one’s society and culture.
8.
Why do humans fear death, and how does it influence our lives? (ChatGPT)
How do we cope with the inevitability of death? (CoPilot)
I believe that people fear death because it is the greatest unknown, and no matter what anyone says otherwise, there simply is no way to know what comes after death, other than the inevitable decay of our physical bodies. People have created religions and philosophies to help them overcome their fear of death, and for some, that is satisfying enough. But even with that, we cannot know what we will face, if anything at all. It is hard to imagine that this one short life is all we get, that we come and go like everything else, be it measured in eons, like the mountains, or less than a day like the mayfly. People cope with the inevitability of death in many ways. Some refuse to think about it. Some tell themselves, or reaffirm, the stories of glorious afterlives where they will be reunited with loved ones and have all their burning questions answered. Some folks live reckless lives in an attempt to cheat death, or taunt death, perhaps believing that death will somehow acknowledge their “bravery” and find some weaker being to subdue. As I have stated in other blog posts, I believe that when death comes, I/we will cease to exist, I/we will not live on any other plane of existence. I/we will simply exist no more. Hopefully the memory of me/you/us will live on in those who loved us, at least for a while. In some ways, it is sad that the world continues to move forward without us, and good in some ways, as it levels the cosmic playing field. It says that we are no more important than anyone else, and we will all cease to exist at some point. Hasta la Vista baby! LOL!
Photo Intermission.

Grand Trunk Bridge at Diefenbaker Park (July 31, 2024) – Photo by Don Cheke
9.
Can humanity ever overcome its destructive tendencies? (ChatGPT)
I don’t even know what this question means, but I suppose it is hinting that we humans are somehow prone to “evil,” as an earlier question suggested was an option. I don’t think that humanity has destructive tendencies as all. I don’t think that the changes in the world have been motivated by anything but a desire to survive, and to enhance the lives of the species. Sure, some of those changes brought unpredictable consequences, like victims of car crashes right from the start of the car industry, but as I said, that was not the intent. Moving forward, developing to greater heights, always requires risk, and that can mean many things. I think that the best humanity can do is to keep on moving forward and to keep on taking the risks to make life here on Earth better and more meaningful for all. Just look at some of the countries that have remained in the dark ages where things like inequality between men and woman keeps them cemented in the ignorant past. All risk is worth the growth, as long as we learn from the process. If we learn that yes, some car crashes are an inevitable result of this endeavor, then we must, and do, add features to try and make it safer, all of which modern society happily takes on as their responsibility. Sure, greed and other self interests get in the way, but society as a whole is more interested in making life better, so in that regard, I’d say it has constructive tendencies, not destructive ones.
10.
What is the nature of consciousness, and where does it come from? (ChatGPT)
What is the nature of consciousness? (CoPilot)
Consciousness is a topic that has been dear to me in that I have spent considerable time over my life thinking about those very questions. Is our consciousness our soul, for lack of a better term and leaving out the religious aspect of the word? Or perhaps leaving that aspect in for those who believe the religious connection. I do believe our consciousness is our essence, it makes us who we are as individuals. It is that which is greater than the sum of its parts (more than just the brain). I know that science still maintains that consciousness is an emergent phenomenon, something which arises from the interactions of complex systems. I can live with that. If that is true, then there will likely be a time when computers get so complex that they will become conscious. If that is so, then that will mean that us humans are not so unique or special after all. Of course, there are those who state that computers can never become conscious due to the static nature of their hardware, unlike the dynamic state of the human brain which is apparently in a constant state of flux. Time will tell what the truth may be. I am okay with the notion that consciousness is an emergent phenomenon as that just means we are complex, almost inexplicable in so many ways. I also believe that when we die our consciousness ceases to exist as there is nothing to support it once the brain, where it is housed, dies.
11.
What is the impact of technology on human relationships? (CoPilot)
Technological advances, whether mechanical in nature or digital in nature, are typically developed to enhance life in society. Some may argue that many advances are initially developed by the Department of Defence, or other similar agencies, to help defeat or protect us from an enemy. Although that is a sad statement, it is said that necessity is the mother of invention, so if that is where an idea begins, well so be it. Even if that is the case, which I am sure is not true for all development, we as a society recognize that those developments can be used by all of us regular folks and can be of great service to us. Think of GPS, or the Internet, both which had their start for military reasons. Who would want to be without those now? Not me, for one!
All technological advances change a society and sometimes those changes are not great, or a mixed bag. Many advances affect jobs. A once physical job that provided an employee a means to keep fit, now requires him or her to find time after work to go to the gym. That same job change, might however, keep him or her safe from harm, which might have been a risk factor before the change.
As with anything, all changes or advancements must be looked at, and acted upon, with wisdom. Do we, as individuals, need to dive in full force, or avoid at all costs, or can we find a middle ground and use those advancement as a means to better our lives and not enslave us?
I don’t think you can stop or slow advances, since it is human nature to learn and expand, and do something because we can, but as I said, it must be done ethically and with the best intentions, even being aware that best intentions can lead to unexpected or ill-conceived results.
12.
Are humans naturally inclined toward compassion or selfishness? (ChatGPT)
What role does empathy play in human interactions? (CoPilot)
These are not quite the same questions, but I felt that they are close enough that they can be combined. While I’d like to think that humans are naturally inclined towards compassion, like humans are born with a clean slate, as I mentioned in another answer, I think that two things are to be understood when looking at this. I believe that as humans develop their natural personality, based on DNA, begins to show. This is when we can start to see those that are naturally happy and caring of others, like my wife Denise, and others who are less caring of others, and more interested in what the world can do for them. I am not saying that it is one or the other, because like most things, there is a large spread between the polar opposites. When life deals great hardships, we can still see the different responses by these people, and they will be along the same lines. Let’s say it is wartime. A naturally good spirited and happy person will continue to share the resources they have and will do what they can to help protect those in their community. The selfish, and unempathetic, individual will find ways to protect only themselves, even if it means stealing from neighbors or buddying up with the enemy. The second part to understanding this, is that we must look at how each individual is living, what they are learning from their upbringing, their environment, and so forth. All these can and will influence how compassionate or empathetic they will be. Think about children who are abused, who often become abusers themselves. Do the math, it doesn’t take much effort to see that we can become what we are taught. Yet, those with a more natural compassion will survive these things, will even protect others, like siblings, in the same situations, and will likely seek help to work through all the baggage when they finally escape their abusive situation. In essence, I think we have a natural tendency towards one or the other, but because we are remarkably human, we can and do have the ability to choose the better way, if we are willing to work at it.
Although I enjoyed the process of answering these questions, I must admit that they were a lot of work. Still, worthwhile taking the time to do so.
I hope that you will ponder the questions as well and share any thoughts that you may have with me or others.
Look for the remaining questions and answers next week. Until then, keep on truckin’! Who says that anymore? 👍😊
Donald B. Cheke – February 3, 2025