(January 21, 2014 at 4:50 am)jg2014 Wrote: Consciousness for me is awareness that results from the binding together of sensory inputs to create one single experience and cognitive representation of the world. For example, the nematode worm can learn to make simple associations, an odour or a light can be presented with an electric shock such that the animal can learn that the odour signals they are about to be shocked.
However, when multiple stimuli are paired together, for example an odour only signalling they are about to get shocked when it is also light, they cannot learn this. They cannot bind together different sensory modalities (in this case the ability to smell and the ability to detect light).
Rats and Mice on the other hand, can do this, they have episodic memory, the ability to remember the what where and when of events. Their experiences are bound together to allow them to create new representations of the world. Emotions are further bound up within this stream of awareness so that distress can result in a more "pessimistic" representation. Together this means that animals have consciousness and experience suffering.
Thats a rather simplistic view of consciousness. And a pretty low standard too .So by your standards, the nematode isn't conscious but the rats and mice are?
None of those are conscious because none of them are self aware. They don't understand themselves as an individual or have thoughts. They don't recognise themselves in mirrors. The only animals to do this, as far as i'm aware, are chimps, dolphins and elephants. Those animals are conscious and able to experience fear and distress by other ways than just instinct and conditioning.
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
