Cats and consciousness

[green_amber]

Someone suggested I upfront this comment as a post so here we go:

Oddly, consciousness is the other thing I was noodling about at the weekend. My cats are so obviously conscious, and in really quite subtle ways I never imagined before I lived with animals. They are disappointed, happy, enticing, vain, frustrated, envious and irritated. Yet they have brains like peas no? How stupid do you have to get before consciousness vanishes? Do bees have consciousness? Do goldfish? Do rats? Do all human beings who are not in comas? Do babies, and if so from what age? Is having consciousness the same as thinking? (DO babies think? They dream don't they - is that the same either? My cats dream.)

And where consciousness exists continues to mystify me. Anyone who's studied the Turing test realises that intelligence as an externally observed factor is not the same as intentionality. WE can simulate intelligence but we can't simulate consciousness. Does this indicate there is some kind of mind/brain dualism actually going on?

Comments

[kissmeforlonger.livejournal.com]

I wonder if other kinds of instinctive behaviour mimic intelligence, maybe because humans respond to it. Not something I know much about.

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Fear/panic is on the edge. My cats appear intelligently worried about certain stuff and I respond to cudle them etc. But it's probably just instinct rather than manipulation?.