Animals are Self-aware

Animals are Self-Aware Scientifically Proven

              

 By George Dvorsky, io9.com, via Discovery Channel

An international group of prominent scientists has signed The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness in which they are proclaiming their support for the idea that animals are conscious and aware to the degree that humans are — a list of animals that includes all mammals, birds, and even the octopus. But will this make us stop treating these animals in totally inhumane ways?

While it might not sound like much for scientists to declare that many nonhuman animals possess conscious states, it’s the open acknowledgement that’s the big news here. The body of scientific evidence is increasingly showing that most animals are conscious in the same way that we are, and it’s no longer something we can ignore.

What’s also very interesting about the declaration is the group’s acknowledgement that consciousness can emerge in those animals that are very much unlike humans, including those that evolved along different evolutionary tracks, namely birds and some encephalopods.

“The absence of a neo-cortex does not appear to preclude an organism from experiencing affective states,” they write. “Convergent evidence indicates that non-human animals have the neuro-anatomical, neuro-chemical, and neuro-physiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviors.”

Consequently, say the signatories, the scientific evidence is increasingly indicating that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness.

This is definitely inspirational.  It's wonderful to know that animals are not as dumb as most people would like you to believe. Animals definitely feel fear, hunger, loneliness and all things that humans as well feel. We need to address this and establish a way to inform others that this is a very significant and needs to be addressed to end the horrific mass factory farming of animals and start giving them the respect and dignity they deserve. This evidence should be spread and new changes need to be implemented to  protect them from abuse and the inhumane treatment they endure. So be inspired and let all you know that finally there is actual evidence that animals are conscious and self-aware of their surrounding.

For additional information 
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/scientists-declare-animals-are-as-aware-as-humans.html#ixzz24lDd2IW2