Being human is defined by what humans do, not what they are made of

Evidence

The theory of what it means to be human is quite explicitly a func­ tionalist one. She proclaims this in the title of her article “Human Functioning and Social Justice.” Some of the essential characteristics deal with the physiological aspects of being human, such as shelter, clothing, food, and sex. Some deal with the psychological aspects of being human, like the possibility to make choices. Others deal with the social character of human beings, like being able to live with and for others. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts, 95

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explicitly labels the approach functionalist — human essence located in functioning rather than substance — and tiers the list into physiological, psychological, and social dimensions.
• QUESTION: Can a worked-out functionalist account of humanness avoid covertly smuggling in a substantive metaphysical essence through its choice of functions?