ID commentary on animal minds (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, January 09, 2016, 16:03 (3241 days ago) @ dhw

QUOTE: If the current description proves accurate, the ant may show considerable intelligence, but not have a unified sense of self, in the same way that a dog or raven probably does (all these sensations are happening to me). Other researchers are less cautious, claiming that insects may have consciousness and "could even be able to count."
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> dhw: I don't think it is possible to have intelligence without consciousness (e.g. awareness of one's surroundings), but that is some degrees below self-awareness. As everyone on this website knows, some researchers also claim that bacteria are sentient, cognitive beings. And they may well be right!-It is reasonable to consider a hierarchy of consciousness as this article appears to suggest. Very simple consciousness in ants for example. Human consciousness vastly different and really of a different kind. I think we both agree consciousness seems to pervade the universe, and certainly is a part of quantum mechanics.
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> QUOTE: Intelligence is today's unknown country. But some animal intelligences do encourage a sense of self, as anyone who has lived with a group of domestic animals will attest. Can there be a sort of minimal self?
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> dhw: Good question, which has direct relevance to our understanding of evolution. A minimal sense of self, individual autonomous intelligence, problem-solving, inventive thinking....But not human thinking. Each organism will think in its own way, and will find its own way to survive and - who knows? - maybe also to improve.-Our dog and the horses show us this. Feral animals survive in the wild just fine, taking care of themselves. Only a few well-trained humans can. We are totally interdependent because we are so advanced in our societies. However the 'lost tribes' of the Amazon, protected by the Brazilian government do just fine at a feral level.