Animals and consciousness

It depends on the animal. But generally research shows that animals are more intelligent than we thought. “Theory of the mind” is the idea that an individual animal (and humans are animals) can recognize itself as one among many others and be aware that others may have different ideas, behaviors, and an overall distinct existence. The mirror test, where an animal recognizes itself when looking at a mirror, denotes an existing but still primitive theory of the mind. A few animals pass the mirror test: dolphins, elephants, the great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans), and, surprisingly, corvids (raven, crow, magpies). Passing the mirror test says they realize they are, for example, an elephant amongst a herd of other elephants. That is the beginning of a sense of “being” something. But it barely scratches the surface of the theory of the mind. Bottlenose dolphins take it much much further. Bottlenose dolphins have individual unique signature whistles that function as names. And here is the punchline: there is some evidence that 2 bottlenose dolphins can communicate with each other and mention the whistle of a third dolphin who is not present. Are they discussing a mutual friend? If so, that denotes both advanced theory of the mind (you and I are dolphins, and that other dolphin who is not here is also a dolphin, but they are different from us) as well as advanced language. Can the other animals who pass the mirror test do something similar? It could be that they can, but their language is just not as developed to allow for names.

So, do animals have conscience? Dolphins almost certainly yes. Great apes, elephants, and corvids most likely yes. Other animals, we don’t know.