Non-human (also spellednonhuman) is any entity displaying some,[1] but not enough,human characteristics to be considered a human. The term has been used in a variety of contexts and may refer to objects that have been developed withhuman intelligence, such as robots or vehicles.
In theanimal rights movement, it is common to distinguish between "human animals" and "non-human animals". Participants in the animal rights movement generally recognize that non-human animals have some similar characteristics to those of humanpersons. For example, various non-human animals have been shown to register pain, compassion, memory, and somecognitive function. Some animal rights activists argue that the similarities between human and non-human animals justify giving non-human animals rights that human society has afforded to humans, such as the right to self-preservation, and some even wish for all non-human animals or at least those that bear a fully thinking and conscious mind, such asvertebrates and someinvertebrates such ascephalopods, to be given a full right of personhood.
 | This sectionmay beconfusing or unclear to readers. Please helpclarify the section. There might be a discussion about this onthe talk page.(January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Contemporary philosophers have drawn on the work ofHenri Bergson,Gilles Deleuze,Félix Guattari, andClaude Lévi-Strauss (among others) to suggest that the non-human posesepistemological andontological problems for humanist and post-humanist ethics,[2] and have linked the study of non-humans to materialist andethological approaches to the study of society and culture.[3]
The term non-human has been used to describe computer programs and robot-like devices that display some human-like characteristics. In bothscience fiction and in the real world,computer programs androbots have been built to perform tasks that require human-computer interactions in a manner that suggestssentience and compassion. There is increasing interest in the use of robots in nursing homes and to provide elder care.[4] Computer programs have been used for years in schools to provide one-on-one education with children. TheTamagotchi toy required children to provide care, attention, and nourishment to keep it "alive".
 | This article aboutcritical theory is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | Thisartificial intelligence-related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |