We are passengers of our own bodies

[Wiccan_Child]

I recently learned that, in the human body, bacteria outnumber our own cells 50:1.

My question, then, is: does this change your perception of what it means to be 'human'?

 

[elman]

I recently learned that, in the human body, bacteria outnumber our own cells 50:1.

My question, then, is: does this change your perception of what it means to be 'human'?

No why does it change your perception?

 

[Solidlyhere]

I absolutely NEED many Bacteria in my body.
If not, I wouldn't be able to digest my food properly.

And, as far a playing "host" to Bacteria, everything I eat or drink has Bacteria in it. So, I am a Bacteria-vore.

Every higher-level animal needs other forms of Life to help it survive.

What could the OP possibly be supposing?
This sounds like a BIG zero to me.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

No why does it change your perception?

No. But it did boggle my mind for a while when I heard it.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

I absolutely NEED many Bacteria in my body.
If not, I wouldn't be able to digest my food properly.

Though the majority of these bactiera are in our gut (specifically, the lower intestine), they exist throughout our body: in our blood, in our lymph, everywhere.

Every higher-level animal needs other forms of Life to help it survive.

All animals need other lifeforms.

What could the OP possibly be supposing?

I am supposing nothing.

This sounds like a BIG zero to me.

Well, darn.

 

[Solidlyhere]

OK, OP, you went through my Post, and had comments.

Why don't you explain yourself, when YOU said: "it did boggle my mind for a while when I heard it."

It seems obvious to me that you have know about the existence Bacteria in one's body for a LONG time. Is this True?

Then, WHY did the 50-to-1 thing boggle your mind?
(And, anyway, that figure is wrong.)

 

[Wiccan_Child]

OK, OP, you went through my Post, and had comments.

I always have comments. It's to do with my divine origin

Why don't you explain yourself, when YOU said: "it did boggle my mind for a while when I heard it."

It seems obvious to me that you have know about the existence Bacteria in one's body for a LONG time. Is this True?

False. I heard it today (well, Jan 14th '08).

Then, WHY did the 50-to-1 thing boggle your mind?

When I heard it is irrelevant to this question. I could be a 90-year-old man who heard it in 1937 for all it matters. The point is that it boggled my mind.

So why did it boggle my mind? Well, I've evolved to think of my body as an extension of my self: it is, in a very real sense, my physical footprint in reality. So to be told that most of my composite parts are not, in fact, me, is rather mind boggling.

In any case, the question was if this changes your perception of what it means to be 'human'. That is boggled my mind was incidental.

(And, anyway, that figure is wrong.)

Nope. There are about 100 trillion bacterial cells in the human body, yet only a few trillion human cells. The lowest estimate of this ratio I've seen is 10:1, but most are higher, of the order of 50:1.

 

[DailyBlessings]

I was never obsessed with individualism to begin with. Why do you regard bacteria as "not you"?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

I was never obsessed with individualism to begin with. Why do you regard bacteria as "not you"?

That's a good question. I guess it's because, at a biological level, the cells that constitute 'me' are those that are ultimately descended from the original zygote.

 

[DailyBlessings]

That's a good question. I guess it's because, at a biological level, the cells that constitute 'me' are those that are ultimately descended from the original zygote.

There are plenty of reasons to question what the boundary between "you" and "not you" is like. I doubt that there is one. Even without bacteria in the equation, I'll wager that much of what you consider to your body is actually, by physical extraction, composed of material from other plants and animals. Is your boundary line whether something is currently imprinted with your DNA or not? When you cut your hair, at what point does your hair stop being you? Is your DNA really yours or does it belong to your parents? Legally speaking, it is "theirs" while it's sitting in a lab tray somewhere....

 

[Eudaimonist]

I recently learned that, in the human body, bacteria outnumber our own cells 50:1.

My question, then, is: does this change your perception of what it means to be 'human'?

No, they are just my "little friends" who are along for the ride.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[quatona]

My question, then, is: does this change your perception of what it means to be 'human'?

No, it doesn´t.