I guess it ' s that complexity that prevented Arnold from clearly defining it PI do think that it ' s one of the most interesting aspects of the show . Clearly , the idea that ' I think , therefore I am ' is not accepted as accurate . The hosts think just fine , but that does not make them ' human '. So it ' s a question of what truly defines us ? Is it our innate instinct to preserve our selves or our sense of self , or is it our ability to develop a bond with someonesomething else that is so strong that we place the perceived importance of that entity above our own ? I mean , at the end of the day , we ' re all just animals that procreate then die , but as an example , I would give my life up right here , right now for my son or pregnant ! whoop ! wife . If I didn ' t feel that way , and felt that I was more important than them , I personally feel that I would be missing something fundamentally human . On your comment regarding the constant state of paradox . I don ' t think this means that you have to want to sacrifice yourself for everyone and everything . There are plenty of scenario ' s where I would save myself , but there are some where I wouldn ' t , and I personally feel that is a core element of what defines me as a person .