Are non-human animals conscious?
Consciousness is complicated. It's a tricky thing to define, and it's even harder to study. A broad definition is that it's a state of awareness of "self". But this is difficult enough to understand within ourselves (what does it mean, exactly, to be aware of oneself?), let alone in non-human animals. Without shared language to bridge the gap between us, how can we even begin to comprehend if an octopus has a sense of self, or a crow, or a cricket?
Scientists have devised various innovative ways to try to understand whether non-human animals are conscious. Usually, this involves designing experiments or observational studies that look for hallmarks of consciousness, such as the ability to feel pain, to feel emotion, or to remember specific events. By gathering all of this evidence together both within and across species, scientists can begin to build a picture of which animals are likely to have conscious experiences.
Do we know which animals are likely to conscious?
On April 19th 2024, leading scientists in the field of animal consciousness, philosophy and law signed "The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness". This declaration explains that - considering all the accumulated evidence - many species of mammal and birds are highly likely to be conscious, and that there is a "realistic possibility" that an even wider range of species - including crabs, octopuses and insects - are conscious. Given that only a century or so ago humans (at least in the Western world) thought we were the only conscious species, this declaration highlights the foundational shift occurring in our understanding of non-human animals.
Why does it matter?
In the declaration, the scientists argue that we must consider welfare risks of animals that could reasonably be conscious, and act accordingly. Given the number of species that could be conscious, this would have repercussions throughout a huge range of fields, from biomedical research, to agriculture, to conservation.
The next steps will be figuring out how our welfare laws should be impacted. What rights and protections should we afford animals that might be conscious? How much are we willing to change the landscape of our lives in order to make their lives better? There are no easy answers here, but at least the conversation is starting.
Consciousness is complicated. It's a tricky thing to define, and it's even harder to study. A broad definition is that it's a state of awareness of "self". But this is difficult enough to understand within ourselves (what does it mean, exactly, to be aware of oneself?), let alone in non-human animals. Without shared language to bridge the gap between us, how can we even begin to comprehend if an octopus has a sense of self, or a crow, or a cricket?
Scientists have devised various innovative ways to try to understand whether non-human animals are conscious. Usually, this involves designing experiments or observational studies that look for hallmarks of consciousness, such as the ability to feel pain, to feel emotion, or to remember specific events. By gathering all of this evidence together both within and across species, scientists can begin to build a picture of which animals are likely to have conscious experiences.
Do we know which animals are likely to conscious?
On April 19th 2024, leading scientists in the field of animal consciousness, philosophy and law signed "The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness". This declaration explains that - considering all the accumulated evidence - many species of mammal and birds are highly likely to be conscious, and that there is a "realistic possibility" that an even wider range of species - including crabs, octopuses and insects - are conscious. Given that only a century or so ago humans (at least in the Western world) thought we were the only conscious species, this declaration highlights the foundational shift occurring in our understanding of non-human animals.
Why does it matter?
In the declaration, the scientists argue that we must consider welfare risks of animals that could reasonably be conscious, and act accordingly. Given the number of species that could be conscious, this would have repercussions throughout a huge range of fields, from biomedical research, to agriculture, to conservation.
The next steps will be figuring out how our welfare laws should be impacted. What rights and protections should we afford animals that might be conscious? How much are we willing to change the landscape of our lives in order to make their lives better? There are no easy answers here, but at least the conversation is starting.