Is human being a living thing? (2025)

Could someone please tell me if a human being can be classified as a living thing?

Thanks.

Many thanks, Owlman, for your help, especially the link.

All along, I thought that a human being should be classified as a living being, and living things are insects and the other tiny living things.

Karen123456 said:

Many thanks, Owlman, for your help, especially the link.

All along, I thought that a human being should be classified as a living being, and living things are insects and the other tiny living things.

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You're welcome, Karen123456. Just remember that large animals like humans are also living beings when they're alive. Even blue whales. Plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria are all living beings as long as they continue to function. When they die, they are no longer living things.

I suspect that you are asking this question because of the use of 'living thing' in a sentence or sentences that you saw. It would help us understand your thinking and give a more helpful explanation if you would give the sentence and explain your thinking.

Context is not only required, but useful.

Cagey said:

I suspect that you are asking this question because of the use of 'living thing' in a sentence or sentences that you saw. It would help us understand your thinking and give a more helpful explanation if you would give the sentence and explain your thinking.

Context is not only required, but useful.

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Thanks, Cagey.

My son asked me if a human being is a living thing. I was confused because the word 'thing', I thought, excludes human beings. I thought that 'living things' refers to all creatures except animals and people. That's the only reason I posted the question.

Note that back in the late '60s there was a plethora of posters and bumper stickers saying "“War is not healthy for children and other living things.”

It's quite not to exclude humans from the living - that's sort of which "being" implies.

Karen123456 said:

Could someone please tell me if a human being can be classified as a living thing?

Thanks.

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It a living thing, if and only if, it is (still) alive.
If the human being has died then it is no longer alive. It has become a cadaver (corps).
Eventually it will cease to be....

GF..

Note that the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary has the following definition under "being, noun":

a living thing; especially : PERSON

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"Especially" points to a particularly common use, but doesn't limit the meaning of being to that.

I had the impression that you are asking about the word "thing"; is that right? Can a "thing" have life?

"Thing" is a very versatile word. It can be used to indicate almost, well... anything. Living things are alive. Inanimate things are not. Sometimes a thing can be a relationship (They have a thing going) or a situation (Here's the thing) or many other... things.

Karen123456 said:

[....]

My son asked me if a human being is a living thing. I was confused because the word 'thing', I thought, excludes human beings. I thought that 'living things' refers to all creatures except animals and people. [....]

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Thank you for the context. I didn't realize that the problem was the word "thing" until I saw the context. It is a good question. We don't call individual people or animals "things". If someone referred to a child as a "thing", we would probably be shocked.

However, as Nunty points out, we also use "thing" to talk about large categories that include humans and animals. When we do that, we don't notice that it is the same word that we wouldn't use to talk about specific people or animals. At least, I had never noticed that until you pointed it out by asking the question.