List of alternative names for the human species
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In addition to the generally-accepted scientific classification Homo sapiens (Latin: "wise man" or "knowing man"), other Latin-based names for the human species have been proposed:
| Name | Translation | Trait identified |
|---|---|---|
| Homo economicus | "economic man" | The human as a rational and self-interested agent. |
| Homo faber | "toolmaker man" "fabricator man" "worker man" |
A human's ability to create tools and manipulate his or her environment. |
| Homo generosus | "generous man" | Suggested by popular science writer Tor Nørretranders in his book Generous Man on evolutionary theory and sociobiology. |
| Homo reciprocans | "reciprocal man" | The human as an altruistic being through reciprocity. |
| Homo ridens | "laughing man" | Humans as the only species known to understand comedy. |
| Homo sacer | "the sacred man" | Humans excluded from civil rights. |
| Homo scientia | "scientific man" "knowledgeable man" |
The original alternative to Homo sapiens. |
| Homo sociologicus | "sociological man" | A parody term; the human as prone to sociology. |
| Homo technologicus | "technological man" | The consequence of the human ability to manipulate his or her environment. |
Names have also been suggested for imagined variations on the human species:
| Homo superior | "overman" "super-man" |
A human with intelligence or abilities exceeding those of Homo sapiens. |
| Homo magi | A term to describe a sub-race of magic using humans in the DC Universe. |
