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> but they are obviously self-aware creatures. Is it that obvious? Mine gets scared by her own farts sometimes.
by read_if_gay_ 6y ago
> but they are obviously self-aware creatures.
Is it that obvious? Mine gets scared by her own farts sometimes.
- root_axis 6y agoI think it's axiomatically true. If we don't consider dogs to be "self-aware" then I think the discussion becomes an issue of semantics, because dogs clearly possess an emotional intelligence that necessarily implies a kind of "self-awareness" that is common to humans.
- drdeca 6y agoI would think that self-aware would imply not just emotions, but having awareness of oneself, not just "of one's body", but like, being able to think about how one would react to something, or at least some things somewhat like that. Wikipedia says "While consciousness is being aware of one's environment and body and lifestyle, self-awareness is the recognition of that awareness."
- root_axis 6y ago> Wikipedia says "While consciousness is being aware of one's environment and body and lifestyle, self-awareness is the recognition of that awareness." If we use that definition dogs may not be self-aware, but then the mirror test tells us nothing since it only shows that the animal is "aware of one's body" not that it has "recognition of that awareness".
- bawana 6y agoWouldn't that be evidence of NOT being self aware? If the animal is self aware, it knows a fart is coming and where it's coming from, so it should not be surprised.
- read_if_gay_ 6y agoYes, I was providing that as a (rather weak) counterexample.