A human is a member of the species Homo sapiens , characterized biologically as a culture-bearing primate with a highly developed brain enabling advanced cognitive abilities such as abstract reasoning, articulate speech, and complex social structures. Humans are anatomically similar to great apes but distinguished by their erect posture and manipulative hands
. A person refers to an individual being who possesses certain capacities or attributes including reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and participation in social and cultural relations. Personhood involves qualities such as self-awareness, moral commitment, agency, and the capacity for social interaction and responsibility. The concept of personhood varies culturally and philosophically but generally includes recognition of rights, dignity, and responsibilities
. In summary:
- Human : A biological classification referring to Homo sapiens , distinguished by physical and cognitive traits.
- Person : A being (often a human) recognized as having self-awareness, moral agency, and social identity, with rights and responsibilities.
Thus, a human person is a human being endowed with the qualities of personhood—self-awareness, moral reasoning, social interaction, and recognized dignity and rights
