Animal and Plant Consciousness
Scientists conclude what pet owners have long known: animals are conscious. They have imagination, they plan, and they get high. New Zealand says animals are "sentient". Many thoughtful researchers now say that dolphins should have “human” rights. Chimpanzees share (some) human's thirst for knowledge, and a theory of mind. A legal case is being pressed for chimpanzee and gorilla rights. Even lobsters are gaining legal respect. This is not easy due to flawed research. A case is made here is that wales and dolphins are more intelligent than humans. Probably the vast difference in cognitive faculties prevents any simplistic comparison. There is no clear demarcation between animal species regarding capacity for conscious experience. Each species has brains that are uniquely and effectively adapted to their environments, and no animal brain is “more evolved” than any other.
Wild animals create cultures. They have empathy, especially if they experienced same. They form inter-species bonds. A significant number of species have demonstrated grief. They have complex language and social networks. Wales and dolphins have human-like cultures and societies. They even pick up litter. Their young beat humans at early signs of self awareness. Sperm whales adopt other species. "Killer whale" (Orca) evolution is driven by culture, and some are midwives. Humpback whales have interfered with Orcas who were attacking a mammal. A lost Narwhal is welcomed into this clan of Belugas. Marmosets process pitch just like humans. Monkeys are altruistic, they have a society (like gorilla mobs), they think about thinking, and they teach their young.
Hyenas employ the art of deception, with low-status individuals sounding an alarm call that scares their rivals away from a tasty carcass. In one UK zoo, several parrots curse copiously, apparently to entertain visitors. Pigs have been taught to play video games, rats can learn the rules of hide-and-seek, and let’s not forget the golfing bees.
Dogs can see human deception, and shun those who lie to them.
It gets even more amazing for animals more unlike us: Cuttlefish pass the marshmallow test. Crocodiles find baroque music interesting. Dogs are able to ignore bad advice (theory of mind), unlike most human kids. Wild African Dogs hold a quorum or political gathering, using parliamentary procedure to decide whether or not they should move or hunt. We also have altruistic meerkats, puzzle solving, fun loving goats and parrots that high-five. This rabbit sought revenge. The sign language and astounding intelligence of elephants, and the howl language that wolfs use. Humans likely got language from other animals who, though, don't rely on language for reasoning skills. Then there is the emotional and intellectual depth of crows including fairness, a theory of mind, constructing tricky tools, adjusting tool use, and planning for the future. Crow consciousness is a subject of scientific study.
This racoon is trying to catch snow flakes.
Check out sharing parrots and magpies, and tool-stashing, tool-adjusting cockatoos. Even pigeons have a way with words, and they can multitask better than humans. Screech Owls use blind snakes in their nest to clear out troublesome insects. Russet sparrows use wormwood leaves in nests to counter parasites. Tool use is wide spread among birds, and zebra finches argue over parental duties. Song birds may get high (and get addicted to) anting. After release into the wild, vampire bats keep ‘friends’ made in captivity. Scrub Jays, chimpanzees, elephants, kangaroos, and giraffes mourn their dead. Rats show regret, dream of future travels, and use tools. Mice feel another's pain.
Check out sharing parrots and magpies, and tool-stashing, tool-adjusting cockatoos. Even pigeons have a way with words, and they can multitask better than humans. Screech Owls use blind snakes in their nest to clear out troublesome insects. Russet sparrows use wormwood leaves in nests to counter parasites. Tool use is wide spread among birds, and zebra finches argue over parental duties. Song birds may get high (and get addicted to) anting. After release into the wild, vampire bats keep ‘friends’ made in captivity. Scrub Jays, chimpanzees, elephants, kangaroos, and giraffes mourn their dead. Rats show regret, dream of future travels, and use tools. Mice feel another's pain.
Venturing still further away from the human part of the animal kingdom, we find that frogs have learned to use drain pipes, and fruit flies deliberate. Sharks enjoy face and body rubs. Archer fish recognize human faces. The octopus is highly intelligent, adaptive, even tricky. Crabs and lobsters feel pain, even cockroaches and rocks(?). Spiders divide labor according to personality. Bees use tools, understand zero, learn socially, and share culture. Ants may be capable of metacognition: watch them free a comrade from a spider web. Insects may have a form of emotions and empathy, and all creatures have fun. Even for a worm, it feels like something to be alive, and they can learn.
"We write poetry and rabbits don't, as far as we can tell," she said. "So, it's a difference of degree, not of kind." Many, perhaps all above possess senses, with a consciousness to match, that we can only envy.
"We write poetry and rabbits don't, as far as we can tell," she said. "So, it's a difference of degree, not of kind." Many, perhaps all above possess senses, with a consciousness to match, that we can only envy.
Plants listen and are talkative via RNA, fungus, and the Wood Wide Web, and they are altruistic. Plants may even have a (sort of) root brain. Plants are able to communicate via fungi. They summon air defence via special airborne gasses. Trees are social beings. All trees and all plants in all of our forests around the world are dependent on relationships via fungi. Birch trees have saved Douglas fir trees that were sick.
Venus Fly Trap plants can count. Plants compute quantum biologically and memorize light training. Plants have multiple senses. The question of plant consciousness may depend on linguistics rather than science. To test habituation, "I decided they would be dropped continuously for 60 times. Then there was a big pause to let them rest and I did it again. But the plants were already re-opening their leaves after the first three to six drops."
Yeast has memory, bacterial colonies have a collective memory, in fact anything with DNA has memory. Bacteria communicate like neurons in the mammalian brain.
Yeast has memory, bacterial colonies have a collective memory, in fact anything with DNA has memory. Bacteria communicate like neurons in the mammalian brain.
Factory farms are barbaric. Giving animals more rights improves our quality of life.
