Theory number 3.

[Edwardo Piet]

Even if 95% of their actions are raw instinct, if the other 5% are the result of some sort of thought,

Non-instinctual thought I would call consciousness, I don't see why action would be required. If action was required that would imply that paralysis was incompatible with consciousness.

[...]if we are willing to add the definition of 'selr-aware' then how would we know if soemthing was self-aware?

We wouldn't, unless it was scientifically detectable or logically proved. I don't see how logic would get us there and, as for scientifically detectable, once again, we need to know what to look for, and it has to be detectable.