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Posted by: Xal Jul 6 2010, 06:40 AM

So, as the title says: Are pokémon people?

Before I start my argument, I want to point out that just because they're not human it shouldn't necessarily mean they're not people. The definition may include being human depending upon which dictionary you use but that's most likely because, as far as we know, all people are humans and vice versa. Describing a person as 'human' gets the point across much more easily than all the philosophical conditions of being a person (which are a matter of opinion and up for debate). Imagine a race from a sci-fi show; it would make sense to say that they're not human, but I'm sure many would agree it would be wrong to say they aren't people. Similarly, I'm sure there are cases where it could be said a human isn't actually a person. If I were to grow a human body in a lab, completely fulfilling the biological definition of a human but having no consciousness nor a potential to ever be conscious, it would be understandable if people said it wasn't a person.

I'm not entirely sure what we can accurately define being a person as. Two things that I think are important though are having a mind and having a highly developed intelligence (how intelligent something needs to be before it is classed as a person, however, I don't know). Whatever the definition is, pokémon (at least some of them) seem to fulfil it. Mewtwo, for example, seems as much of a person as any human being does. He talks, has dreams, and is at least as intelligent as humans. That may suggest that perhaps powerful pokémon like him are people, but then again even other talking pokémon seem like people too. Slowking and even Meowth, for example, can talk and appear to be people. Personally, I think this shows that even the less advanced pokémon show the qualities required to be a person, but without being able to speak we don't notice that. Alternatively, the fact they can't speak could just be a sign that they aren't people at all (however, pokémon do speak their own language and the language of other pokémon, and their language appears just as developed as any human one).

For now, that's all I can think of to say. If anyone else has any thoughts, regardless of their position in the debate, I'd love to hear them. For me, I think that most, if not all, pokémon would count as people.

Posted by: JohnRichard1991 Jul 6 2010, 06:49 AM

I wouldn't say that pokemon are people, as they are not the civilized species within the universe.

Posted by: Eliot Kovach Jul 6 2010, 06:58 AM

Yeah, they get captured in a pokeball, have different powers and they obey their trainer.
Therefore, I think not.

But you have a good point out there.

Posted by: knight 6792 Jul 6 2010, 11:19 AM

Some are most aren't shall I remind you about ? ?

Posted by: Nursetiger Jul 24 2010, 01:18 AM

Speaking of pokemon "not being civilized.." anyone ever think to look at the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games? The Pokemon there create their own towns, they have their own economy and even seem to have a governmental system, or at least a police system that follows some kind of laws. You can't really deny here that they are people, they live their own lives and even have their own families and sometimes houses even too.


(I know this is a bit late to be posting in here but I believe this debate has not been looked at enough or even really considered at all, plus I really wanted to bring up this point. )

Posted by: steelTitan Jul 24 2010, 05:58 PM

Some are, most are not from looking at the anime.

Posted by: Xal Aug 8 2010, 05:35 PM

QUOTE(Nursetiger @ Jul 24 2010, 07:18 AM)

Speaking of pokemon "not being civilized.." anyone ever think to look at the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games? The Pokemon there create their own towns, they have their own economy and even seem to have a governmental system, or at least a police system that follows some kind of laws. You can't really deny here that they are people, they live their own lives and even have their own families and sometimes houses even too.


(I know this is a bit late to be posting in here but I believe this debate has not been looked at enough or even really considered at all, plus I really wanted to bring up this point. )

Posted by: dejanisdejan Aug 21 2010, 09:45 PM

I think they`re people because the are intelligent.

Posted by: FancyGranola Oct 24 2010, 01:53 AM

I think the idea of people is more of a social construct that anything. Pokemon are human created as a game. If we treat this subject like how we live in the Pokemon world, Pokemon aren't people. Although they exhibit things that are people-like, they aren't people since they aren't created by humans, but by Arceus of whatever.

Posted by: Zero Gravity Dec 10 2010, 01:38 PM

Pokemon can't be human like humans can't be Pokemon, we're two different species. but it doesn't mean we should treat them like they're less then ourselves.
I for one think Pokemon like Gardevoir, and Jynx have potential to connect humanity and pokemon by means other then just being pals.... as creepy as it MAY sound.

Posted by: Time Lady Victorious Jan 5 2011, 01:42 PM

I think you'd treat one as a "very smart animal", like chimpanzees in real life. Chimps are very smart for an animal, yet not really equal to humans.

Then you have things like Alakazam, which is said to have IQ counting to thousands and you're left wondering where's the border, because the god Pokemon may even be as much above humans as we are above chimps... so well, most are smart animals. Some have potential to be, well, gods for Men.

Posted by: Breeder Drew Jan 5 2011, 01:53 PM

They are quite people like, take MD for example.

Own Economy.
Own buildings.
Own governmental system.
A kind fo police force

They exhibit human like behavior, but they aren't people nescessarily.

Posted by: Professor Layton Jan 5 2011, 02:05 PM

QUOTE(Breeder Drew @ Jan 5 2011, 06:53 PM)

Posted by: Blueflame Jan 5 2011, 02:06 PM

I would consider the Pokemon in the anime to be people; even though most can't speak in human language, they show emotion, personality, and intelligence more than chimpanzees or any animal we have in the real world. They are captured and follow human commands, yes, but most of them seem to do so willingly because they love their trainers. And as has already been mentioned, the Pokemon in the Mystery Dungeon games have civilizations and are capable of communicating to each other anything humans would be capable of communicating. In these Pokemon "universes," I would say they are people. But in the traditional games, Pokemon seem more like intelligent pets than friends like they are in the anime. Your Pokemon don't talk to you, and the only indication of how they feel about you is their happiness stat. There are even mentions of humans hunting and eating Pokemon in the games.

Posted by: okpo May 10 2011, 10:34 AM

Most are some not

Posted by: nerea2661996 Apr 4 2012, 01:33 PM

I think there are animals because people in the anime can have them in their houses like pets

Posted by: Marchen von Friedhof Apr 5 2012, 04:15 AM

This really depends on the point of view. Most of the time, I think pokemon are animal equivalent of the universe, but seeing from another point of view, like PMD games, make me think, "Yes, they definitely are people."

Posted by: Cresselia Apr 5 2012, 06:02 AM

I think some are, because Pokemons like Jynx and Mr Mime look like humans