The term "biped" has been employed in literature as a way to underscore and sometimes satirize human nature by reducing those walking on two legs to their simplest biological characteristic. For example, Thomas Carlyle uses it to create an almost surreal image of an "articulate-speaking biped" in an inverted tub, suggesting both absurdity and marvel at human ingenuity [1]. William J. Long, in a dramatic outburst, deems a coward a "despicable biped," using the word contemptuously to highlight a lack of courage [2]. In a legal or moral context, Aesop’s Fables refers to a human simply as a "biped," reinforcing his role as the subject in the story [3]. G. K. Chesterton humorously contrasts the idea of humanity with that of a centipede, reminding readers of the basic unity of man as a biped despite his complexity [4]. Robert W. Chambers, meanwhile, paints the curious nature of a young man with the phrase "most openly curious biped," utilizing the term to emphasize both uniqueness and an inherent ordinariness [5]. Paramahansa Yogananda further plays with the concept by labeling himself a “biped” in the context of metaphorical retribution [6]. Finally, both Dale Carnegie and William James adopt the term straightforwardly – one as a factual descriptor of a creature that is a biped [7] and the other as a disdainful remark in its simplest form [8]. Together, these examples illustrate how "biped" has been variably used to imbue commentaries on human behavior with irony, humor, or philosophical reflection.