What is a Human Being?

If there is a thinker and writer that has addressed this psychological, social, scientific and philosophical issue in a highly scholar manner and thorough fashion, it has been Frederick R. Bauer. Professor Bauer has not only examined the issue of human nature transparently from multiple angles, but he has also considered the plethora of applications and complications his Jamesian Quintalist response implies. Frederick R. Bauer's response to the question of what a human being is can be broken down into three different stages: 1) the discovery of himself as a person, 2) his first attempts in Rome, Italy and Worcester, Massachusetts, and 3) both his published and unpublished scientific answer to the question of what is a human being. It is obvious and plain common sense that Frederick R. Bauer's first response started with himself as he started questioning and discovering who he was as a person. The rest is history, as they say. This is and should be the starting point for any serious researcher into this type of topic. As Dr. Bauer moved to frame his observations, self- iv discoveries and reflections he developed a manuscript for internal circulation during his Philosophy of Human Nature courses at Assumption College in the region of Worcester, Massachusetts. This manuscript is a gem of facts and considerations that cannot be ignored by any serious reader and researcher into this most important topic. However, it was not until 2011 that Bauer published his official statement on the issue of human nature in his You're a Human Being -What's That?: The Scientific Answer. This brief introduction of mine is precisely an introduction to his Jamesian Quintalist answer to the question of human nature found in his book. In other words, the purpose of this extremely brief exposure is for you to be redirected to read his more complete and satisfactory answer to the question of who you are! Reading Bauer's work will change the notion you have about your own self-identity forever!